World Cup final ratings: Mbappe, Messi and Di Maria impress as Dembele gets 1/10
Argentina have defeated France to win the 2022 World Cup – but who impressed the most and who let their team down in the Qatar final?
Check out our player ratings below following the 3-3 draw after extra-time and a dramatic penalty shootout…
Emiliano Martinez – 8
The Argentina goalkeeper didn’t have a shot on target to deal with in the first half and barely touched the ball. The second half was a different story, conceding twice after a French comeback.
He dived the right way for the second-half penalty but didn’t do enough to keep it out. Made a massive save deep into extra-time to force penalties. Saved Kingsley Coman’s penalty in the shootout to give Argentina the advantage.
Not too much to report. Not the best player on the pitch and not the worst. Helped to keen Kylian Mbappe quiet in the first half. Not so much after the break, though.
Cristian Romero – 7
See above. Didn’t have much to do in the opening 45 minutes due to France’s toothless attack.
Was important in stopping a France winner in 90+5, steering the ball back to his goalkeeper under pressure from around four yards out following Emilano Martinez’s save from Adrien Rabiot’s shot.
Nicolas Otamendi – 6
Gave away a silly penalty with around 12 minutes left to allow France back into the game.
Not much to do in the first half but looked solid. Had all the time and room in the world to head away a France ball into the box just before half time.
Nicolas Tagliafico – 7
Not much to report here, not the best player on the pitch and not the worst. Did help keep Ousmane Dembele quiet, though.
Rodrigo De Paul – 8
The epitome of Argentine passion. Set the tone in the opening exchanges with a shove on Adrien Rabiot after being fouled to show he was not going to be bullied.
Tested Hugo Lloris a few times – and at 2-0 – could be seen screaming and shouting at his team-mates that the job was not done yet. He was right!
Enzo Fernandez – 7
Picked up a needless yellow card around half-time. Could have given away a late penalty for a possible foul on Marcus Thuram but the referee judged that the France player dived instead.
Redeemed himself in extra-time by playing a part in Argentina’s winner, sliding Lautaro Martinez in down the left, who forced a save from Hugo Lloris to allow Lionel Messi to score from the rebound.
Alexis Mac Allister – 8
Jules Kounde – 6
Simply could not deal with Angel Di Maria. Rediscovered his composure after the Argentine was withdrawn, combining well with substitute Kingley Coman.
Raphael Varane – 7
A decent performance overall. He was in the right place to block Gonzalo Montiel’s goal-bound shot in extra time.
Dayot Upamecano – 6
See above. Stepped up in extra-time, producing an excellent block to deny Lautaro Martinez.
A little sloppy inside the 90 minutes though. Dispossessed for Angel Di Maria’s goal and often struggled to keen up with Julian Alvarez’s pace.
Theo Hernandez – 5
Sloppy passing. Almost responsible for conceding a goal on 17 minutes with one failed pass resulting in a big Argentina chance, but luckily for him, Angel Di Maria’s shot flew over the bar.
Aurelien Tchouameni – 5
Did not see much of the ball, particularly in the opening 30 minutes or so. Didn’t go with the runner Alexis Mac Allister for Angel Di Maria’s goal. Missed his penalty in the shootout.
Adrien Rabiot – 7
Solid game from the French midfielder. Picked up a booking after 55 minutes but was involved in France’s equaliser after pinging the ball to Kylian Mbappe.
Antoine Griezmann – 6
Produced an impressive ball for Olivier Giroud from a free-kick in the first half – in what was France’s only chance in the opening 45 minutes – and it was a half-chance at that.
Had a few other chances, certainly not the worst French player on the pitch. Brought off after 71 minutes.
Ousmane Dembele – 1
Gary Neville described him as ‘pathetic’ and ’embarrassing’ at half-time. Kept losing the ball. Really, really poor.
Kylian Mbappe – 9
Went completely missing in the first-half and barely touched the ball. To say he improved when Didier Deschamps decided to move him more centrally on 41 minutes would be more than an understatement. It was an absolute gamechanger.
2 – Kylian Mbappe is the second player to score a World Cup final hat-trick after Geoff Hurst for England v Germany in 1966. Historic. #ARGFRA pic.twitter.com/UMohg41mqH
Scored a late penalty to put France back in the game and then netted a sensational second to level it up. Two goals inside 97 seconds. Scored a penalty deep into extra-time to register his hat-trick and take it to penalties. Incredible.
Oliver Giroud – 5
Hard to give him a higher number due to being hauled off after just 41 minutes. Just wasn’t getting the service he needed.
Argentina subs – Marcos Acuna (7), Gonzalo Montiel (7), Leandro Paredes (7), Lautaro Martinez (5), German Pezzella (N/A), Paulo Dybala (N/A).
France subs – Marcus Thuram (7), Randal Kolo Muani (8), Kingsley Coman (6), Eduardo Camavinga (7), Youssouf Fofana (7), Ibrahima Konate (N/A), Axel Disasi (N/A)
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