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On Monday, the international press celebrated in unison the “extraordinary” genius of Lionel Messi and his very “Maradonian” performance until the end of an “anthology” match, the day after the 2022 World Cup final. Without forgetting consoled by the other star of this “epic” final: the “phenomenon” Kylian Mbappé.
In the aftermath of Argentina’s victory in the World Cup final against France, newspapers around the world focused their attention on Monday 19 December on the performance of the two men in this final: Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé.
Lionel Messi, who allowed his albiceleste team to conquer the third world crown, “has planted his flag on top of Everest”, greets the British newspaper The Times.
By scoring two goals, his leadership of the Argentine team “now ranks among the greatest in all sports”.
“A Dash with Maradona”
“Eternal glory to Messi,” headlines Argentine sports newspaper Olé, reflecting the general sentiment in Argentina. An entire population had been waiting for almost twenty years for the crowning of its famous number 10, who joined Diego Maradona in the Pantheon of football gods.
Like many other headlines in the international press, Gazzetta dello Sport is convinced that Messi is “a dash with Maradona”.
Because “Messi is a genius in any body, or rather in a body that has nothing athletic about it”. But “this physique is enough in football if you have the head of an artist and the feet of God”, adds the Italian newspaper, under a photo of a Messi who exults with joy.
“Like Diego Maradona in his day, the idol of the stadiums on Sunday lived up to his reputation, more than ever the pride of an entire people”, greets the French newspaper Le Figaro, praising “breathtaking Messi”.
“The best player of the last 50 years”
At 35, Messi “took Argentina to the top with a Maradonian performance,” Spanish sports newspaper Marca abounds.
“The 10 achieves glory” after “a life of frustration and mutual misunderstanding between him and his country, with two farewells from the national team”, underlines the Spanish title El Pais.
Also in Brazil, the great rival of the Albiceleste, the victory of the Argentine “brothers” and the crowning of Messi, “the best” who “greatly deserved to lift the cup”, have been cited sportingly, according to the newspaper O Globo.
>> Also read: Lionel Messi finally adored in his right measure
“The 2022 World Cup puts an end to the Messi x CR7 (Cristiano Ronaldo) debate and the Argentine is the best player of the last 50 years”, headlines the Brazilian news site Uol, without however daring to compare the star to “King” Pele.
For the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, “Lionel Messi creates an eternal work” by conquering “the first world champion title in a black and white cathedral”.
Lionel Messi finally world champion: “an important event in the history of the game that brings this absolute artist closer to immortality”, congratulates the French sports newspaper l’Équipe, which only regrets that Lionel Messi has not “chose another day “.
Mbappé “from the history books” of football
On its front page, French headline Liberation salutes ‘legendary’ Messi and Mbappé alike, splitting the front page evenly between the two rivals in Doha but teammates at PSG.
Not surprisingly, the team focuses on “three goals in the final by an incredible Kylian Mbappé, who brought his guts” and to which the delivery of the Golden Boot for the top scorer of the event (8 goals) “n did not cracked a smile.”
But even the Gazzetta dello sport salutes “Mbappé, a phenomenon unlike any other” while the Süddeutsche Zeitung pays homage to the Frenchman and his “individual performance worthy of a football history book”.
“The Frenchman scores a hat-trick and draws twice in a lost game” in advance, congratulated El Pais.
A match “with unreal suspense”
However, “Kylian Mbappé’s quest to be considered the best has just been delayed,” the New York Times seems to regret.
“What a final!” enthused the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, who spoke of a “crazy night” for the two teams who went through “heaven and hell”.
“Unforgettable final”, “delirium”, “ecstasy”, “the best final of all time”, exclaims the Argentine press, as well as the French press enthusiastic about this “final in apotheosis”, of a “match with unreal suspense” or “completely crazy”, according to Le Monde.
“One of those heroic matches that cross time”, underlines the Team, but also “one of those stab wounds that cross the heart”.
With the AFP
