France disappointed but proud of fightback in epic World Cup final

France are disappointed they could not successfully defend their World Cup crown after losing to Argentina on penalties in Sunday’s (18 December) final but leave Qatar with heads high having fought until the end, players Raphael Varane and Hugo Lloris said.

France fought back twice through Kylian Mbappe, who erased Argentina’s 2-0 lead in 97 seconds in normal time before scoring a third in extra time to level it at 3-3.

But the South Americans won 4-2 on penalties.

French President Emmanuel Macron went down to the pitch to comfort the disconsolate young superstar who is already a national treasure, giving him a long hug.

Mbappe’s hat-trick at the end of his outstanding tournament will not erase the pain of losing to Argentina, but in time he will surely look back with pride.

“We are very disappointed of course, we gave everything. We had to face a lot of obstacles during the competition, we gave up nothing,” Varane said.

“For an hour we were not in the game. We could have won too. I’m very proud of this group and of being French. We keep our heads high. We came back in this game when it was complicated.

“We pushed and we believed until the end. We almost turned the game around, which was not going well… There was mental strength in this group, a lot of heart. That allowed us to come back in this game. We’re disappointed but also proud.”

Argentina were the better team in the first half and stormed into a 2-0 halftime lead before Mbappe brought them level with goals in the 80th and 81st minute of the contest which France skipper Lloris described as a “boxing match”.

“The Argentines got off to a great start, being aggressive, using all facets of the game. We were a bit reactionary all night,” the goalkeeper said.

France had also come into the final after several players missed training sessions due to illness over the past week, but Lloris refused to use that as an excuse.

“We’re not going to make excuses, we gave everything,” he added. “You have to congratulate the guys because we didn’t give up until the end.”

‘Immense joy’ for Argentina

Hundreds of thousands of Argentines poured into the sunlit streets of Buenos Aires on Sunday, ecstatic after the nail-biting victory in Qatar.

The South American team, which lost the final of the tournament against Germany in 2014, had not won a World Cup since 1986. But the rise of the team has spurred avid support in Argentina, which is plagued by high inflation and an economic crisis that has pushed some 40% of the population into poverty.

Huge crowds surrounded the Obelisco monument in the center of Buenos Aires, like they had done after the semi-final win over Croatia. Other fans leaned out the side of cars waving flags and jerseys as they rode through the streets.

“It is an immense joy after so much tension,” Nicolas Piry, a 46-year-old lawyer, told Reuters.

“The harmony between the team, headed by a leader who plays at a level making him the best in the world, and the players’ condition in general led us to this well-deserved success. Let’s go Argentina!” he added.

“It was a game where we suffered,” said Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who saved one penalty in the shootout on Sunday but had also saved two more spot kicks in their quarter-final against Netherlands.

For Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni it was a nail-biting finish to a turbulent tournament and he could not hold back his tears following the final whistle.

“I cannot believe that we have suffered so much in a perfect game. Unbelievable, but this team responds to everything,” Scaloni said.

“I am proud of the work they did. It is an exciting group. With the blows we received today, with the draws, this makes you emotional. I want to tell people to enjoy, it’s a historic moment for our country.

“We who live for this and who have been through the good and the bad are used to these things… Above all it is an incredible enjoyment. Being at the top as we are now is something unique.”

It was the third world title for Argentina and the first since the late Diego Maradona won the trophy almost single-handedly in 1986.

For Argentina players and captain Messi, who netted twice in the 120 minutes before also scoring in the shootout, it was the biggest title of their careers.

“It is a moment that I will never erase in my life,” Enzo Fernandez, who won the Young Player award, said. “Having the chance to win the World Cup with my country is priceless. Let’s take the cup and celebrate together.”

Messi’s Argentine team had made the final as recently as 2014 but on that occasion they finished second best to Germany.

“I’ll never forget it. We had to suffer but we deserved to win” said Argentina defender Rodrigo De Paul. “We’ve beaten the last champions, it’s a joy I cannot put into words.

“I’m proud of being born in Argentina and today we are on top of the world.”

(Edited by Georgi Gotev)

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