You get what you pay for, and Qatar achieved its perfect final

Messi’s sublime brilliance elevated divisive World Cup into one of the great sports stories as France lost on penalties

Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (left) with the World Cup Trophy ahead of the presentation to Argentina's Lionel Messi following the FIFA World Cup final at Lusail Stadium, Qatar. Picture date: Sunday December 18, 2022. PA Photo. See PA story WORLDCUP Final. Photo credit should read: Mike Egerton/PA Wire.

After 12 years, shredded schedules and a whirl of geopolitics; after death and ghosts and suffering; after armbands, hard power, the Davos in the desert vibe; after 64 games of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, the Lusail Stadium dished up a purely sporting surprise.

This was the greatest Fifa World Cup final. It was also a third World Cup victory for Argentina, who beat France on penalties at the end of a wildly oscillating 3-3 draw.