Sachin Tendulkar to Sunil Chhetri, India toasts Lionel Messi after Argentina’s FIFA World Cup 2022 win

Lionel Messi’s dream of winning the FIFA World Cup with Argentina finally came true at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday after a dramatic penalty shootout victory over France in the final.

It was Argentina’s third World Cup triumph overall and the first since Diego Maradona led them to the title 36 years ago, in 1986. 

Even though Lionel Messi scored twice in the final, Kylian Mbappe's hat-trick almost took the FIFA World Cup 2022 title away from La Albiceleste.

The French Golden Boot winner scored twice in the second half to level the game for France and then led the comeback for the defending champions in the extra time to force the game into a penalty shootout. Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina held their nerve in the shootout to win the final 4-2 on penalties. 

As expected, Argentina’s win and watching Lionel Messi getting his hands on the elusive trophy drew passionate reactions from all over the world, including Indian fans and top athletes.

Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri got the ball rolling and hailed the FIFA World Cup 2022 final the best match he has ever seen.

“This is the best game of football I've ever watched. Every emotion displayed and felt for 120 minutes and then through every take from the spot. What a show. What a sport. Lionel Messi,” Sunil Chhetri tweeted.

In a similar vein, legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar lauded Argentina’s fighting spirit in the tournament. Lionel Messi and Co. suffered an upset 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in their opening game but fought back to be crowned world champions.

Interestingly, Sachin Tendulkar’s own career had some stark similarities to Messi’s. Both, considered one of the greatest in their respective sport, only managed to win the World Cup in the twilight of their careers. Furthermore, both became world champions exactly eight years after suffering a heartbreak in a World Cup final.

Sachin Tendulkar lost the final of the 2003 cricket World Cup before finally lifting the trophy in 2011. Messi lost the 2014 final with Argentina before reaching the promised land in 2022.

With the 2022 World Cup win, Lionel Messi now has won every major international trophy with Argentina, including a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics, the Copa America title in 2021 and the Finalissima in 2022.

Speaking to journalists after winning the World Cup, Messi said he “craved” this moment for so long.

“I knew God would bring this gift to me, I had the feeling that this World Cup was the one. It took so long, but here it is,” Lionel Messi said. 

“We suffered a lot, but we managed to do it. Can’t wait to be in Argentina to witness the insanity of this,” he added.”

Olympic medallists Ravi Kumar Dahiya and Vijender Singh also chipped in with some heartwarming messages.

Mirabai Chanu and Rani Rampal also congratulated Kylian Mbappe and France for putting up a splendid show.

For some, Messi’s win marked the end of the debate on football’s greatest player of all time.

Many feared that Messi would never wear the famous sky blue and white shirt again after the 2022 World Cup. The maestro, however, put the speculations to rest after the magical night at Lusail.

"No, I'm not going to retire from the Argentina national team. I want to continue playing as a champion," Lionel Messi, who has featured in five World Cups for Argentina, told TyC Sports.