�*two years ago, two years age, it will passed away two years ago, it will be leonel massey, argentina's captain in his final world cup match, he left the trophy after they have prevailed on penalties over the french. that is just about it from here adds to stadium in qatar. we will have reaction to the win, but now let's head back to our london studio. thank you for that, extraordinary coverage, breaking news coverage of a simply extra ordinary football match and extraordinary final, one of those moments in sport, as you can see, lionel messi very much the man of the moment, all smiles, you can see the moment, all smiles, you can see the affection he has from the crowd and by his team—mates and he heads to the stage, what a moment for one of the greatest to ever play the

game. as you can see, he hugs the... interesting expression of their from emmanuel macron, higley would have been wanting the french players there, lionel messi, what a moment for him, kissing the world cup, something that he will have been dreaming of ever since he started kicking a football around, never knowing where thatjourney would lead, well, it has led him here, it was the one missing piece of silverware, or gold trophy, i suppose it is, he now knows that he has done it. he said before this match that this would be his last appearance as a world cup, what a way to bow out. it looked for most

of the match and like it was going to be relatively straightforward to him and his team—mates, took the lead, looked comfortable, france, frankly, atrocious, didn't turn up, didn't have a shot on goal and then out of nowhere, lionel messi's great rival and team—mate, mbappe, out of nowhere, lionel messi's great rivaland team—mate, mbappe, caused to my goals, their ears on the right—hand side, he went on to score a hat—trick and still, wasn't enough to lift the world cup. so, these photos are extraordinary really and they are an image that define what a last couple of hours it has been, it could have been either way, it was 2-2 could have been either way, it was 2—2 after regular time and then we went to extra time and 3—3 after extra time and then it was penalties. matches like this, big finals, tends to be slightly

underwhelming, the football doesn't tend to be as throughout the tournament, but we had it all in this final, penalties, drama are perhaps a soft penalty for the first one but an outstanding second goal from argentina, teamwork, crisp passing and then you think of the mbappe finish on the volley, an outstanding finish too. so, it really is a final that had absolutely everything. and it had absolutely everything. and it had absolutely everything. and it had absolutely everything especially if you are an argentina fan. let's go to katie. she has been reporting live from argentina and, this is it, katie, not away now, but we will get those famous images of the argentina team lifting the world cup trophy. it's an image of course that argentinians here were desperate to see, this was a personal crusade, notjust see, this was a personal crusade, not just to see, this was a personal crusade, notjust to bring the world cup back to argentina after 36 years, but to

allow messi to take the world cup, the final jewel allow messi to take the world cup, the finaljewel in his crown, what has been a glittering careerfor him, it was the one piece that he needed to win, so there is, now, because the argentinians are now taking to the streets of the centre of buenos aires, there are thousands and thousands of people streaming out under the streets, this is a moment of that they really, really hope to see, it wasn'tjust a matter of wanting to win, it was needing to win, this was something that messi needed, something that the argentinians needed, a country that has been battered economically, high inflation, people saying that world cup have given them a reason to smile, a reason to be brought together and of course notjust participating, but actually winning the final, this is a moment for so many people here in argentina who arejust... they many people here in argentina who are just... they can't really believe their luck after what has been such a difficult match. i think there was a time, the first half,

they really thought they had done it and then the whole thing went silent here in buenos aires, allowing themselves rights to be and to believe that this could be eight theirs. this isjust the culmination of weeks of tension, weeks of happiness and, of course, messi taking the world cup.— happiness and, of course, messi taking the world cup. katie, 'ust so ou know, taking the world cup. katie, 'ust so you know. just i taking the world cup. katie, 'ust so you know. just so i taking the world cup. katie, 'ust so you know, just so you * taking the world cup. katie, 'ust so you know, just so you are h taking the world cup. katie, just so you know, just so you are aware, i taking the world cup. katie, just so | you know, just so you are aware, we are watching the stage inside the stadium there as you are talking away, we are watching right now the france team just getting there medals, there is a big laser show, lights, there is the players up on stage, of course, everyone inside that stadium waiting for the moment, as i mentioned, that argentina go up and collect the trophy. took us through what is happening right now across argentina, katie, what kind of scenarios will people be watching and being prepared to celebrate? is that's something where no one works

at all, everyone takes time off work? or how is it being actually, physically, watched up and down the country? physically, watched up and down the count ? �* .,, ~ , country? here in buenos aires the obelisk, which _ country? here in buenos aires the obelisk, which is _ country? here in buenos aires the obelisk, which is behind _ country? here in buenos aires the obelisk, which is behind me, - country? here in buenos aires the obelisk, which is behind me, has i obelisk, which is behind me, has been the focal point, people have been the focal point, people have been gathering there after every match, during the world cup, even gathering overnight. on saturday evening they were waving their argentinian flags, in anticipation of a win. everybody here is wearing the number ten shirt, pretty much the number ten shirt, pretty much the pedestrian crossings have been painted white and blue in the colour of the argentinian flag. there are barbecues are set up, people's stalls selling food. stakes being prepared, people here are are expecting a long evening of celebration right at the heart of buenos aires. that will be replicated across argentina.

rosario, where messi comes from is a big focal point, his families, friends, fans, they will be heading there to celebrate the win for messi too. everyone in argentina, everyone in south america i think has been really batting argentina in this. the rivalry we usually see between the different south american nations, especially neighbouring brazil when it comes to football, that rivalry has melted away, people here are just celebrating a massive win for south america, taking back the cup from europe, and this is football that has come home here to argentina after 36 years. of course, it is notjust about argentina after 36 years. of course, it is not just about argentina, argentina after 36 years. of course, it is notjust about argentina, it is about their star player, you can stand alongside maradona, world cup in hand, he has pretty much all of the silverware, as you mentioned and he can walk away from an unbelievable career, this is what everybody here in argentina was hoping for and dared to hope for, because it was such a tight match

and, of course, has been such a tense match here in buenos aires. attention is an understatement and this is the moment. many of these argentinians players that during that match, the last hour or so, they must have been really questioning whether it was their moment, whether it was the day, whether this was a game that they were ever actually going to win, going to happen zero up, back to 2-2, going to happen zero up, back to 2—2, then extra time, 3—3 and then penalties. finally they got the job done on penalties and we can see the first few players, half a dozen or so, up on stage, medals around their necks, broad smiles, handshakes with the officials and you can imagine the officials and you can imagine the almighty roar and cheer when one lionel messi takes to that podium

and then the image that so many people around the world will be waiting for, with that world cup to be lofted above their heads and that is the image that will travel right around the globe as lots of people have been kissing the world cup trophy there, but that is the image that we are waiting for in the next couple of minutes that will be beamed right around the planet, what an extraordinary moment for these players, for these fans, because so many fans made it there to dough her, made it to qatar, argentinians supported the team very well, of course. katie i don't know whether you are still there, butjust so you won know, we are waiting and we will contact you in a moment, but i don't want to come away from these pictures at the moment, because, of course, this is something that...

look at the smiles there. this is something that so many across that country will be waiting for. katie, let me just ask you briefly, because i think it will probably be another 90 seconds or so, what is this something that the whole of the nation and there would have wanted at the beginning and argentina did come in among the favourites but they weren't certain, was this the feeling that this would be their world cup? i feeling that this would be their world cup?— feeling that this would be their world cu? . ., , ., �* ~' world cup? i certainly don't think the argentinians _ world cup? i certainly don't think the argentinians have _ world cup? i certainly don't think the argentinians have the - world cup? i certainly don't think i the argentinians have the arrogance that the brazilians had which was that the brazilians had which was that they thought they could go through to the finals. but i think it was a question of to dream. when they lost to saudi arabia, that was a blow, but i think is the world cup went on there was this feeling that this really could be theirs. but, more than that, i think it was the energy behind lionel messi and making that history as well. argentinians really wanted to get behind that. i think that is what

has been so amazing about this world cup are argentina, because as a country that has struggled over the last few years, high inflation, people here have been crying, telling me that this has been a moment of happiness for them, when day—to—day life has become a much harder for day—to—day life has become a much harderfor the day—to—day life has become a much harder for the average argentinian. and so it has been a moment to forget about the troubles, park that forget about the troubles, park that for just a few weeks forget about the troubles, park that forjust a few weeks and see where argentina gets. one woman i spoke to was saying this is for us, this is what we need. and i think it is that culmination of all of those dreams that i've finally been realised. people are setting off fireworks, streaming onto the streets, on motorcycles coming through with their flags, motorcycles coming through with theirflags, whether motorcycles coming through with their flags, whether argentinian shirts, this is a moment for argentina that, for generations, they will not forget. it's a really massive deal for a country that has been battered economically, that is something to be proud about and, of course, a player that will be coming

back onto argentinian soil along with his team mates as well, being able to celebrate those people as well in a couple of days.- well in a couple of days. katie, erfectl well in a couple of days. katie, perfectly timed, _ well in a couple of days. katie, perfectly timed, the _ well in a couple of days. katie, perfectly timed, the man - well in a couple of days. katie, perfectly timed, the man of. well in a couple of days. katie, | perfectly timed, the man of the moment, lionel messi, taking to the podium, more hugs and handshakes. all eyes will be on him. imagine what is running through lionel messi's mind right now, an extraordinary career, he said this will be his last world cup match and you could not have written a better finish for this chapter in this player's international career. one of the greats, potentially the greatest, that is probably a debate for another moment. right now, this

is lionel messi and argentina's moment. cheering

there we have it, they made us wait and it was probably worth it, wasn't it? and what a wait for lionel messi and at argentina team, i wonder if there is any feeling of relief, but this was it, the trophy above his head, finally, finally, what a moment for him, for that team and, of course, that country. extraordinary moments there and of course the people to where it

matters most other people of