Winners and losers from enthralling 2022 World Cup final

Now that we've started to catch our breath after one of the greatest World Cup finals ever, it's time to look back at the thrilling finale from Lusail Stadium.

From controversial penalty decisions, to dramatic comebacks and a G.O.A.T. debate reaching its verdict, Argentina's 4-2 penalty shootout victory over France – after a wild 3-3 draw – truly had it all.

Here are four winners and four losers from Sunday's game.

Kylian Mbappe

If the G.O.A.T. debate is settled, it might only be for a few years if Kylian Mbappe has any say in the matter.

That's said in jest. Lionel Messi has performed at the peak of his powers for nearly 15 years and has multiple club achievements that Mbappe has yet to claim.

Keep in mind, Messi had won multiple Champions League titles, Ballon d'Ors and other notable accomplishments before his 24th birthday. Mbappe has a ways to go before matching that resume.

However, the Frenchman has already exceeded expectations on the international stage.

In a losing effort, Mbappe picked up a hat trick to win the Golden Boot as the World Cup's top scorer. He could've had a couple more and an assist if not for clutch saves from Emiliano Martínez and last-ditch defending from Argentina, too.

Having now scored 12 times in 14 games spanning two tournaments, Mbappe is level with Pele on the all-time men's World Cup scoring charts. He's one behind Messi and four adrift of Miroslav Klose for the record.

It's only a matter of time before that's broken.

What's even more remarkable is that it appeared Messi would coast to his first World Cup, a Golden Ball and a Golden Boot through the first 70 minutes. Nahuel Molina was containing Mbappe and the lack of tracking back meant France's left flank was a saloon door.

Then, Argentina gave Mbappe an inch and he took a yard.

Two of Mbappe's goals were penalties, yes, but for the final 50 minutes, Argentina was mortified to even breath on the 23-year-old. Every time he had the ball in and around the box, there was a feeling that he was going to shatter Argentinean hearts.

Even in a match where he was ineffective for the majority, Mbappe showed off his world-class genes. It might not be the result he wanted but it was a reminder of what's to come for the next decade.

For years, we've repeatedly stated that it's best to enjoy Messi and Ronaldo while we have them at their peaks because we'll likely never see anything like this ever again.

Little did we know that Mbappe and Erling Haaland would co-exist right after.

Lionel Messi

The Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo debate will dominate social media for days, as will the greatest of all-time discussion. Truth be told, it's difficult to compare different eras, so we may never determine a final answer.

But there's no doubt that Messi has now completed football by winning the World Cup. A brace in the final just adds to the legend.

Messi finished the World Cup with seven goals, including five in the knockout stage to go with three assists. Talk about saving the best for last.

But in this match specifically, Messi was majestic. He completed 47 of 54 passes, including three key passes, and five shots with an expected goals (xG) of 1.83 (1.07 without the penalty). The 35-year-old also converted his spot kick in the shootout with his trademark precision and calmness.

Ángel Di María

The decision to start Ángel Di María couldn't have paid off more for Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni.

In fact, it might've been Di María's exit on 64 minutes that turned the match on its head. That's how vital he was.

Di María's deployment worked perfectly for how Argentina wanted to exploit France. Using the 34-year-old as an inverted left winger, staying wide left, then cutting inside when receiving the ball directly led to the penalty that opened the scoring.

Most of Di María's touches around the box were in the left half-space, but he often received the ball closer to the touchline while positioned further away from goal.

Marcos Acuña provided similar touches but isn't as direct as Di María. Acuña prefers to create via his crossing or overlaps rather than cutting inside and shooting. France was able to defend against this more predictable approach.

For all the talk of Messi finally winning a World Cup, Di María experienced the same highs and lows. After 129 caps, he finally has the ultimate prize to go with his Champions League, among other major trophies.

Brighton & Hove Albion and Eintracht Frankfurt

The World Cup usually leads to marquee transfers for players. Alexis Mac Allister and Randal Kolo Muani might've boosted their respective profiles after Sunday's final.

Mac Allister was sensational, as he has been for most of the tournament. His run and assist for the second goal was one of the greatest goals scored in a World Cup final, which exemplified his best traits.

The vision on the ball and the awareness of where to position himself to receive passes are next level. Forty-four completed passes on 52 attempts with several progressive runs through France's midfield backs that up.

It's hard to believe that Mac Allister may not have started regularly if Giovani Lo Celso didn't suffer an injury before the World Cup.

But Kolo Muani's inclusion was key to France's turnaround. His close control, pace and ball progression produced a penalty, two shots and general chaos for Argentina to combat.

Mac Allister cost Brighton around £7 million ($11.6 million) in 2018. Kolo Muani, meanwhile, was signed on a free transfer by Eintracht Frankfurt and already has eight goals in 23 games in all competitions this season. These recent France caps should further bolster the 24-year-old's value.

Those two savvy pieces of business could lead to heavy profits in a few months.

Lionel Scaloni

Ultimately, Argentina is the world champion and that's all that matters but it's hard to ignore Lionel Scaloni's second-half tweaks.

The decision to take off Di María was understandable because he seldom completes the full 90 minutes these days. But replacing him with Acuña, then shifting to a 4-4-2 ultimately provided France's dynamic frontline to peg back Argentina.

Scaloni has made some bold decisions at this World Cup, the majority of which have paid off but these blew up in his face and nearly proved fatal.

Ousmane Dembele

This has been a weird tournament for Ousmane Dembele. He's looked absolutely unstoppable in some games but anonymous or disastrous in others.

That's the story of his career, to be fair, which has been mired by injuries.

But the semifinal against Morocco was another case of anonymity and Dembele was a straight-up liability in the final.

Take away the conceded penalty that led to the opener. He provided little support for Jules Kounde on the right flank and was ineffective in the final third. The fact Kolo Muani won more duels (12) and had a stronger offensive impact says it all.

Lautaro Martínez

There were shades of Gonzalo Higuaín's performance in the 2014 World Cup final from Lautaro Martínez.

Two missed chances, followed by a saved attempt by Hugo Lloris that eventually led to a mad scramble for Argentina's third goal, encapsulates Martínez's World Cup as a whole. He was somewhat unlucky, but too tentative in the decisive moments.

Luckily, it didn't cost his team like Higuaín in 2014.

Clubs with Argentinean and French players

Normally, players would receive a few weeks' rest before starting pre-season with their clubs ahead of a new campaign.

That's not the case due to the timing of this World Cup. Now we'll see the potential ramifications of a mid-season tournament over the next few months.

While we did receive a record number of goals scored at a World Cup, there is a risk that the participants – especially the Argentineans and the French – could be a higher injury risk and that might drastically affect these teams' seasons.