Messi, Mbappe give Qatar the perfect World Cup ending

When it comes to soccer, money can buy world.

It can pay for World Cup . And world’s best players. And it can bundle m all up into a perfect package and present it to a global audience of millions.

power of money was on full display in Qatari city of Lusail on Sunday as Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties to become world champion for third time and end Lionel Messi's pursuit of one major trophy that h eluded him in his storied career.

One of most thrilling finals in tournament's 92-year history finished 3-3 through extra time, with Messi scoring twice and Kylian Mbappé completing a hat trick.

“ match was completely insane,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said afterwards. “I know it’s just a football game, a World Cup, and we shouldn’t think any furr, but in Argentina, football is not just football. We have to celebrate.”

In end it was not a b return for Qatar, which spent an estimated $200 billion on staging soccer’s most prestigious event.

Hundreds of millions more have been paid out to take superstars Messi and Mbappé to Qatari-owned Paris Saint-Germain.

And here, on sport’s biggest stage of all, was perfect finale as far as oil-and-gas rich Emirate was concerned.

On a temporary stage in middle of field, Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Ham Al Thani, gave Messi a Qatari ceremonial robe to wear over his Argentina shirt for tritional World Cup trophy lift.

Messi was beaming with pride as he tenderly kissed cup of solid gold. But it is arguably host country that could consider itself biggest winner after a tournament that appeared to demonstrate effectiveness of so-called sportswashing.

After widespre criticism about its human rights record and treatment of migrant workers leing up to event, focus switched to soccer as tournament progressed. By Sunday's final, narrative was fixed on Messi’s mission to emulate Argentina great Diego Marona by leing his country to a World Cup title.

subplot was France’s bid to become first team to win trophy back-to-back since Brazil and Pele in 1958 and '62.

“It was always inevitable that conversation would increasingly turn to football once tournament started, but human rights questions have never gone away and will continue to be raised long after tournament,” Steve Cockburn, he of economic and social justice at Amnesty International, told Associated Press.

Amnesty says thousands of migrant workers have died “suddenly and unexpectedly” in Qatar over past dece.

Last month Hassan al-Thawi, secretary-general of Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, said between 400 and 500 h died during construction for tournament. committee later said he was referring to work-related deaths from 2014-2020, not specifically for World Cup.

Soccer’s governing body FIFA has been pressured to provide answers on a proposed compensation fund for those affected and concept of a migrant workers center to be created in Doha.

Progress on both of those issues remains unclear.

“Qatar wants to be a hub for global sporting and cultural events, and so should know that scrutiny will continue,” Cockburn said. “Hosting World Cup has brought far more attention on treatment of migrant workers in Qatar and rest of Gulf than would orwise have been case, as well as responsibility of sporting bodies such as FIFA.”

Concerns were also raised over safety and wellbeing of fans from LGBTQ+ community ahe of tournament because homosexuality is a criminal offense in Qatar.

Captains of seven European nations, including England and Germany, planned to wear multicolored “One Love” armbands to promote inclusion and diversity. But y ultimately backed down when FIFA threatened to issue yellow cards to players involved, saying it was a contravention of its regulations.

It is unclear wher that decision was taken under pressure from Qatari government, but it ded to sense that conservative Muslim country was hosting World Cup on its own terms.

re was also a sudden ban on beer sales at stiums two days before opening match, which was a U-turn on deal Qatar me to secure tournament.

term sportswashing is widely used in reference to countries or organizations trying to use sports to repair reputational damage.

And World Cup deflected attention from off-field issues by producing some remarkable stories on it.

Saudi Arabia provided arguably biggest shock in tournament’s 92-year history by beating Argentina in ir opening group-stage match.

Morocco became first African country to make it through to semifinals and sparked an outpouring of pride across Arab world.

“For me, football makes people dream and children in particular,” Morocco coach Walid Regragui said. “In Morocco and Africa, we have kept those dreams alive."

Perhaps predictably, FIFA president Gianni Infantino described it as “best World Cup ever.”

However, he is not only one to speak about it in positive terms.

“Qatar have won a lot of friends because of this World Cup and way it has been handled,” said David Dein, international president of England’s bids for 2018 and '22 World Cups.

He attended more than 50 games during tournament and believes experience will inspire real change in Qatar.

“y’ve been very open-minded to it,” he ded. “I think Qatar will benefit from this going forward. I hope so. That should be a legacy for m.”

It is certainly easy to see immediate benefit.

Qatar will forever be associated with Messi after he finally won World Cup and furr strengned his case to be considered greatest player of all time.

“It took so long, but here it is,” Messi said. “Obviously, I wanted to complete my career with this, (I) can’t ask for more.”

At 35, Messi was story of what is likely his last World Cup, and narrative became more compelling with every win, every goal and every assist that provided flashes of brilliance he produced with more regularity during his peak years.

That final developed into a personal duel between him and PSG teammate Mbappé ded anor thre to a captivating contest.

Mbappé is natural heir to Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as soccer's next superstar and he scored first hat trick in a World Cup final in 56 years.

He was also tournament's leing scorer with eight goals, ensuring anor of Qatar's great investments was on podium to collect a trophy in end.

But enduring image of a World Cup was one of world’s greatest ever players, in tritional Qatari dress, lifting sport’s biggest prize of all.