“At the top of Everest”, “Link with Maradona”, “End of Messi vs Ronaldo debate”: International press celebrates Messi and consoles Mbappe

Having scored two goals, the Argentina team’s mentor is “one of the best in all sports right now”.

From “dangerous tears” to “King Messi who lives in glory”: French and Argentine media return to finals

“Eternal glory to Messi,” the headline of Argentine sports daily Ole reflected the general sentiment in Argentina. An entire nation has waited nearly twenty years for the coronation of their legendary number 10, who joins Diego Maradona in the pantheon of football gods.

Like many headlines in the international press, Gazzetta dello Sport firmly believes that Messi is ‘a hyphen with Maradona’.

Because “Messi is a genius in an ordinary body, or in a body that has nothing to do with it”. But “in football, it’s enough to have the head of an artist and the feet of a god,” the Italian newspaper gleefully exclaims under Messi’s photo.

“Like Diego Maradona in his time, the idol of the stadiums lived up to his reputation on Sunday, the pride of an entire nation more than ever,” congratulated French daily Le Figaro, praising the “magnificent Messi”.

At the age of 35, Messi “led Argentina to the top with a ‘marathonian’ performance,” according to Spanish sports newspaper Marca.

“A life of frustration and mutual misunderstanding between him and his country, with two farewells from the national team”, underlines the Spanish title “The 10”, underlines the Spanish headline.

Even in Brazil, the Albiceleste’s arch-rival, the triumph of the Argentine “brothers” and the coronation of the “great” Messi, who “most deserves to lift the cup,” were playfully discussed, reported the daily O Globo.

“The 2022 World Cup puts an end to the Messi x CR7 (Cristiano Ronaldo) debate and Argentina’s best player of the last 50 years,” said Brazilian news site Uol, though it didn’t dare to compare the star to the “King”. Pele.

Per German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, “Lionel Messi creates an eternal creation” as he wins the “world champion title in the white and blue chapel”.

Messi finally becomes world champion: “a major event in sporting history that brings this consummate artist closer to immortality”, congratulated French sports daily l’Equipe, who regretted that Messi “didn’t choose another day”.

Mbappé “for the history books”

On its front page, French title Liberation salutes “legendaries” Messi and Mbappe equally, sharing its front page between two rivals in Doha but teammates at PSG.

Unsurprisingly, “the incredible Kylian Mbappe’s three goals in the final carried his guts” and the Golden Shoe award for top scorer at the event (8 goals) “didn’t raise a smile”.

But Gazzetta dello Sport hailed “Mbappé, a phenomenon like no other”, while Süddeutsche Zeitung paid tribute to the Frenchman and his “personal performance for the football history books”.

Kylian Mbappe: Ten absolutely insane in his final match against Argentina

“The Frenchman scored a hat-trick and equalized twice in a losing match”, congratulates El Pais in advance.

However, “Kylian Mbappe’s quest to be considered the best has been delayed,” the New York Times seems to lament.

“What a finale!” The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung cheers, talking of a “crazy evening” for the two teams who went through “heaven and hell”.

“Unforgettable finale”, “delirium”, “ecstasy”, “the best finale of all time”, the Argentine press and the French press cheered this “finale in apotheosis”, “match with Unreal”. Suspense” or “absolutely crazy”, according to Le Monde.

“One of these heroic games that transcends time”, underlines the team, but “one of these stabs that transcends the heart”.