France, June 4 -- Messi skippered La Albiceleste - "the White and Blue", as Argentina are nicknamed - to the trophy in the 2022 competition in Qatar following a penalty shootout win over France in the final.

Messi scored the opener 23 minutes into the game and was part of the dazzling counterattack that allowed Angel Di Maria to give Argentina a 2-0 lead 13 minutes later.

But after France came back to level and sent the match into extra time, Messi scored a second to restore his side's advantage. France's Kylian Mbappe hit his third of the match three minutes from the end to set up the shootout.

During the final, Messi scored his sixth and seventh goals of the 2022 tournament. Neither were vintage Messi strikes. One was a penalty and t...