Argentina’s dramatic victory over France in penalty kicks in the World Cup final was the second most-watched soccer match of any kind in the United States. The early numbers from Nielsen, Fox and Telemundo show Sunday’s match had an English- and Spanish-language combined audience of 25,783,000. That trails the 26.7 million that tuned in to the 2015 Women’s World Cup final, when the U.S. beat Japan 5-2 in a match that aired in prime time for most of the United States because the tournament was held in Canada. Fox’s numbers from Sunday should increase when the “match-only” rating is released later Tuesday. The 16,783,000 average released by Fox and Nielsen includes some pre- and post-match coverage. The high viewership comes as the U.S., Canada and Mexico are set to host the 2026 World Cup. Read more: Millions jam Buenos Aires streets to celebrate World Cup win Argentina’s first World Cup title since 1986 was Fox’s most-watched match of the tournament, surpassing the 15,491,000 that watched the Americans 0-0 draw with England during group-stage play on Nov. 25. Sunday’s combined audience was a 31% increase over the 2018 final, which averaged 17.83 million on Fox and Telemundo. Fox’s audience increased 25.5% from four years ago, when France defeated Croatia in the final. Telemundo’s total audience of 9 million is a 65% jump from 2018. Nearly one-third — 2.96 million — streamed Sunday’s match on Peacock and Telemundo’s digital services, which made it the most-streamed World Cup match in U.S. history, regardless of language. By comparison, the 6.04 million who watched on Telemundo was triple the 1.9 million that watched the network’s broadcast of Super Bowl 57 earlier this year. Read more: Argentines erupt in joy after epic World Cup final While the Super Bowl continues to lead championship viewing — this year’s game had a combined audience of 112.3 million — the World Cup final did outdraw other sports. Game 5 of the World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros averaged 12.77 million on Fox, and was the most-viewed game of the six-game series. The series-clinching games of the NBA Finals and NHL’s Stanley Cup finals averaged 13.99 million and 5.8 million, respectively, on ABC.

That amazing World Cup final between Argentina and France on Sunday at the Lusail Stadium in Doha that ended 3-3 before the South Americans won on penalties also featured two of the best goals of the tournament. In fact Kyilan Mbappe's astounding volley from the edge of the box is also our  favourite goal of the tournament, and it is arguably the best individual goal ever scored in a World Cup final. Thinking back on famous World Cup final goals, there's the one Brazil scored in 1970, with the captain Carlos Alberto finishing off a sweeping team move after being laid on by Pele. But nothing like the individual skill and execution it took, in that moment with so much riding on it, for Mbappe's second. Read more: Mbappé electrifies in World Cup epic, ends up on losing side Mbappe is a player who seems to have made a habit of being mentioned in the same breath as Pele, ever since he broke through in Russia 2018 to become the first teenager since the great Brazilian to score in the knockout stages of the World Cup, including the final. And we have his stupendous equaliser against Argentina on Sunday down as the best individual goal in a World Cup final since Pele's strike in 1958 against hosts Sweden, that Brazil won 5-2 to win their first World Cup. In that game, Brazil were already up 2-1 when Pele receives a ball in the box, outrageously flicks it over the defender marking him and volleys home. So with Mbappe a clear number one, here are the other goals we really loved from this year's edition. In choosing them, we valued the moment, the importance of the goal in the overall context of the match as much as the execution, so you won't find goals like, say, the one South Korea scored at 4-0 down v Brazil on this list. They are in no particular order though.

Even before an epic final won by Lionel Messi and Argentina, FIFA president Gianni Infantino was calling it “the best World Cup ever” in Qatar. There was clear self-interest to declare the success of a tournament that was politically fraught for most of the 12 years since the wealthy emirate was picked as host by a previous FIFA leadership broadly tainted by corruption allegations. FIFA's fundamental role is to oversee global soccer's rules and make sure World Cups happen on schedule: Goal achieved, billions of dollars duly earned. Read more: World Cup review: Best and worst of the tournament in Qatar As ever with arguably world sport's most colorful governing body, there was much else going on. ON THE FIELD When the games begin focus shifts to the field, and FIFA got that early on day three when Messi and Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia 2-1 in an upset for the ages. One day later, Germany lost to Japan and then Brazil delighted the world in its first game against Serbia. Morocco picked up the baton and was the first African or Arab nation to still be playing on the last weekend of a World Cup. Games were consistently compelling if not the best quality. These were not vintage Spain or Netherlands teams, and not even Brazil by the time of its quarterfinals exit. The drama rose with simultaneous group-stage games that carried Japan, South Korea and Croatia to the round of 16 and sent Germany and Belgium home. All continents got teams into the knockout rounds, letting Infantino repeat his claim of soccer “becoming truly global for the first time.” When the final was a true classic on Sunday, Argentina winning on penalties after a 3-3 draw, it left everyone except France feeling like they won. POLITICS It was a most political World Cup. Before a game was played there was scrutiny of Qatar for its human rights record, employment practices and a years-long boycott by neighboring states in which FIFA pushed for the Gulf region to share the tournament. In the final weeks of preparation, Qatar pushed back more confidently against its critics – a process FIFA joined after teams and media arrived on site. Infantino’s infamous “I feel gay, I feel a migrant worker” speech on Nov. 19 hit many of the host nation’s talking points that alleged western hypocrisy and racism. FIFA gave assurances in private — to European teams about captains wearing anti-discrimination armbands; to fans about wearing rainbow symbols; to World Cup sponsor AB InBev about selling Budweiser beer with alcohol at stadiums – that started to collapse. Bonds of trust were severely strained. Pre-tournament talk of being open to supporting a compensation fund and better resources for migrant workers in Qatar was mostly shut down. Read more: 2026 World Cup hosts take diplomatic handover from Qatar Qatar’s World Cup was a state-run project and it seemed clear who was in charge. When European women lawmakers came to games wearing the “One Love” armband, Middle East officials started sporting a Palestinian armband. When an Italian field invader displayed European activist messages, days later a Tunisian man did the same with a Palestinian flag. During the tournament, basic operational detail was hard to get and most requests were ignored. Routine briefings and news conferences at past World Cups, including Russia in 2018, did not happen. A guiding principle seemed to be “never complain, never explain” for World Cup organizers. FANS The FIFA president is traditionally jeered at World Cup finals. It happened again on Sunday when Infantino was introduced for the trophy presentations. Infantino also was booed when the TV broadcast showed him sitting in VVIP seats during the England-Wales game. Both countries had armband and rainbow issues with FIFA, while British media extensively covered migrant labor issues. Though Argentina and Morocco fans traveled in big numbers, fewer than expected Europeans came to Qatar. The pre-tournament target was 1.2 million international visitors but the official total was less than 800,000 entering the final week. Yet, when thousands of Morocco fans tried to arrive for an unexpected semifinal against France last Wednesday, several flights into Doha were canceled to limit numbers. High-priced accommodation like tents and cabins also seemed to put off visiting fans. Empty seats at kickoff for most games would steadily fill by halftime. There was evidence and anecdotes of residents in Qatar being taken to games and offered free tickets, and the host nation’s loudest cheer squad was fans brought from Lebanon and Syria. When tournament attendance topped 3.4 million, it was unclear and went unanswered if the total included all the volunteers, catering and security staff who clocked in to work in stadiums. MORE MONEY This was a clear win for FIFA, despite a likely breach of contract issue to resolve with AB InBev. FIFA reported higher than expected revenue of $7.5 billion for the four-year commercial cycle tied to Qatar’s World Cup. The World Cup was a tougher sell in the past decade when new sponsors came only from Russia and Qatar — two often problematic host nations — and China while prosecutors in the United States, Switzerland and France ran corruption investigations targeting soccer officials. A late run of sponsor signings for this World Cup included tourism in Saudi Arabia and Las Vegas, plus companies in the online gambling, cryptocurrency and blockchain sectors. Read more: Messi fulfils his destiny, Argentina win third World Cup Most deals now expire and FIFA plans to cash in from staging a bigger 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, by offering sponsors huge local markets and more games being played mostly in high-yield NFL stadiums. Infantino said on Friday that FIFA’s four-year forecast is for $11 billion through 2026. All 211 member federations will be getting millions more dollars from Zurich. HIGH LIFE FIFA leaders could stay in opulent Qatari hotels that opened just in time for the World Cup. One base was the waterside Fairmont Hotel, nearly 40 stories high and shaped like a curved sword. It offered 18-karat gold tiles in the shower of some suites and a 56-meter (185-foot) high chandelier in the lobby. Coupled with an unprecedented level of security at a World Cup, it added to the feel of FIFA isolating in an ivory tower. While France’s President Emmanuel Macron went for a brief walkabout at the main market in Doha, Infantino almost never met ordinary fans. One regular Infantino companion was a celebrity chef famed for painting gold leaf on steaks that costs hundreds of dollars at his restaurants. The chef, known as Salt Bae, also seemed to breach World Cup protocol by holding the gold trophy when joining the Argentina players on the field on Sunday for post-game celebrations. For veteran FIFA watchers, it was an apt final symbol for the World Cup in Qatar.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has congratulated the friendly people of the Argentine Republic for winning the FIFA World Cup 2022 Championship. “I believe, hearts of the people of Bangladesh and Argentina are dearly united by football, despite our geographical distance,” Momen said in a letter to Argentine Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship Santiago Andrés Cafiero on Monday. “You would be amazed to see the spontaneous rejoicing of the people of Bangladesh after the victory of the Argentine team in the FIFA World Cup, last (Sunday) night,” he said. On behalf of the people of Bangladesh and on his own behalf, Minister Momen conveyed their heartfelt felicitations and congratulations to his Argentine counterpart and the friendly people of the Argentine Republic. Read more: Messi wins World Cup to push claim to be football's GOAT In this joyful moment, Momen reiterated Bangladesh's commitment to deepen the existing relations and friendship between the two friendly countries. “I look forward to working closely to consolidate our mutual priorities and opening of Missions in each other’s capital in the coming days,” he said. Read more: Argentine fans chanted “Bangladesh-er doa chai!” before last night’s Qatar World Cup final Homes and streets across Argentina and Bangladesh became places of celebration after an epic World Cup final in which the national team beat France on penalties. It was the country’s third World Cup title, and the first since 1986.

Di Maria doubled Argentina's lead in the 36th minute after Lionel Messi scored on a penalty to make it 1-0 for Argentina against France. Di Maria started for the first time since sustaining a foot injury against Poland in the final round of group matches. The 34-year-old took the place of Leandro Paredes in midfield as Argentina again rolled out a 4-4-2 formation, with Messi one of the two forwards. Messi is making a record 26th appearance at the World Cup, breaking a tie with Germany great Lothar Matthäus. Messi's matches have been spread over five World Cups, starting in 2006. It was Messi's 12th World Cup goal. Like France, Argentina are seeking a third World Cup title — after 1978 and 1986 — to move into outright fourth place in the all-time list. It would end a 36-year wait for football's biggest prize, since Maradona's string of virtuoso performances in Mexico in 1986. Read more: Messi evokes Maradona comparisons on road to World Cup final That made Maradona forever a hero in Argentina and an icon around the football world. Messi now appears to be at that level. Messi has evoked comparisons with Maradona in the way he has pushed Argentina to the final, scoring six goals, thrilling his team's legion of fans, who have poured into Qatar throughout the World Cup in numbers only really matched by those from Morocco. Read more: ARG-FRA 2-2 after Mbappe drags France back into final

Lionel Messi has declared that the final on Sunday will be his last appearance in a World Cup match. In Tuesday’s (Qatar time) 3-0 semi-final victory over Croatia, the 35-year-old Argentina captain assisted on two goals and scored his fifth goal of Qatar World Cup 2022. Messi is competing in his fifth World Cup, but he has never taken home the World Cup trophy. Read: Every time you see Messi play it's a huge source of motivation for Argentinians: Scaloni He was quoted by the BBC as saying: “I am very happy for finishing my journey in World Cups in a final, to play the last game in a final. That is really very gratifying.” Messi further said, “Everything that I lived in this World Cup has been emotional, seeing how much it has been enjoyed in Argentina… There are a lot of years from this year to the next one. I don’t think I will be able to do that. To finish this way is brilliant.” Messi will make his 26th appearance in the World Cup when Argentina plays either France or Morocco in the championship game. Read: Argentina beat Croatia 3-0 to reach World Cup final Mexico, Canada, and the United States will host the 2026 World Cup, the BBC report adds. Messi has been named FIFA Best Men’s Player once and received record seven Ballon d’Or awards. In addition, he has won four Champions League trophies. The one obvious omission is the World Cup, when Argentina lost to Germany in the 2014 championship game. Read: Argentina erupts in joy after team reaches World Cup final Messi, who resigned from international service in June 2016 before changing his mind two months later, said, “We are going to do our best, as we have done up until now, so that this time it really happens – we really win it.” Along with Antonio Carbajal, Lothar Matthaus, Rafa Marquez, Andres Guardado, and Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, a player for Paris Saint-Germain, is one of just six players to have participated in five World Cups. Messi, who is now tied for the tournament's top scorer in Qatar with Kylian Mbappe of France, became the first player from Argentina to score in four World Cups and set a new record for the nation with 11 goals. At the age of 18, he made his Argentine debut in 2005. He has 97 goals in 172 appearances. Read More: France vs Morocco Semi-Final Preview: FIFA World Cup 2022

Luka Modric pulled his shirt up over his face as he trudged over to the sideline. Croatia’s red-and-white-clad fans recognized the sorrowful significance of the moment and rose up to applaud the diminutive midfielder who is probably their nation’s greatest ever player. Argentina’s boisterous supporters soon followed suit at Lusail Stadium, honoring an opponent who is likely appearing at his last World Cup. Substituted in the 81st minute on Tuesday, with his team trailing by three goals, it effectively marked the end of Modric’s World Cup era. Croatia ended up losing to Argentina 3-0 in the semifinals, four years after the team lost to France in the final. Read: Argentina beat Croatia 3-0 to reach World Cup final Modric was somber as he was replaced by Lovro Majer before calmly taking his seat in the dugout. There was no grand gesture to the crowd or outpouring of emotion for a man whose understated brilliance can still be overlooked despite everything he has achieved. “We just wanted to be again in the final,” Modric said, “but unfortunately we are not.” The second most famous 37-year-old at the World Cup is going home, a few days after the other one. Modric is the same age as former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, but as both men approach the twilight of their trophy-laden careers, the contrast is stark. That was particularly evident leading up to and during the World Cup. While Ronaldo hogged the limelight with his explosive eve-of-the-tournament interview with Piers Morgan, Modric expressed himself on the field. After leading Croatia to the final in Russia, he was again the inspiration as a nation with a population of about 4 million made it to semifinals for the second straight World Cup. Read: Argentina erupts in joy after team reaches World Cup final Meanwhile, Ronaldo, amid the distraction of his exit from Manchester United and possible transfer to a club in Saudi Arabia, ended up benched and in tears as Portugal’s hopes were ended by Morocco in the quarterfinals. In Croatia’s quarterfinal match, Modric played his part in eliminating Brazil — and Neymar. But he couldn’t do anything to stop Lionel Messi on his personal mission to finally win soccer’s biggest trophy. Messi scored the opening goal from the penalty spot on Tuesday, and then produced a piece of magic to set up the second of Julian Alvarez’s two goals. But Messi wasn’t the only iconic figure on display at Lusail Stadium. Surely regarded by many as Croatia’s finest, Modric also ranks alongside the best midfielders to ever play the game. A five-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, he also won soccer’s ultimate individual prize, the Ballon d’Or, in 2018. And his performances in Qatar show he still has more to give. He may yet play again for his national team at the 2024 European Championship with one final bow for his country. And who would rule out more trophies with Real Madrid? “Well, perhaps this is the end for the generation at the World Cup. A couple of them are at an age where it will be hard to play at the World Cup in 2026. We will wait and see,” Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić said. “I think a lot of players will finish off at Euro 2024.” Wherever Modric’s story goes from here, his status as a World Cup great is secure.

The streets of Argentina turned into a party Tuesday as the national team beat Croatia by a comfortable 3-0 and earned this soccer-crazed South American country a spot in the World Cup final. Fans poured onto the streets of the capital of Buenos Aires as soon as the match ended, with people waving Argentina flags out of their cars while others jumped and sang in joy amid a sea of wearing the national team’s jersey. Earlier, Buenos Aires had come to a standstill on what was a scorching summer afternoon as fans packed cafes, restaurants and public plazas, where giant screens followed the exploits of the Lionel Messi-led team. “I’m in complete ecstasy,” said Emiliano Adam, 31, who works at an advertising agency and was celebrating in the streets of Buenos Aires while wearing the country’s flag as a cape. “This is the first match that didn’t make me suffer, the first time I could enjoy a match from beginning to end.” Read: Modrić's dream of winning World Cup ends Argentina will now play the last match of the World Cup against either France or Morocco, who are facing off Wednesday.

Lionel Messi bent over, clutched his left hamstring and appeared to grimace, immediately spreading panic through the soccer world but especially among all Argentines. Was their superstar — their idol — injured? Was he going to have to come off early in the World Cup semifinals? No such luck for Croatia. Before long, Messi was producing perhaps the best performance of his record-tying 25 appearances at the World Cup, leading Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Croatia on Tuesday that set up a meeting with either France or Morocco in Sunday’s final. Messi is back in soccer’s biggest match on his mission to win the game’s greatest prize for the first time. At 35, he could hardly be playing any better. Messi converted a penalty and played a part in the other two goals by Julián Álvarez — one with an outrageous piece of skill that brought roars of approval from Argentina’s huge following — to turn an initially tense occasion into a procession. “A lot is going through my head — it’s very emotional seeing all of this,” Messi said in a post-match interview on the field as he looked up at Argentina’s celebrating, scarf-waving supporters. “To see the fans — ‘the family’ — during the whole tournament was so incredible. We’re going to the final, which is what we wanted.” It will be Messi’s second World Cup final — Argentina lost the other one to Germany in 2014 — in what might be his last appearance at the tournament. The stage is set for a player widely regarded as one of the game’s best, if not the absolute best, to go out on the ultimate high. He is thrilling his legion of fans along the way. His swivel and driving run to set up the third goal for Álvarez in the 69th minute left Josko Gvardiol — one of the best defenders at the World Cup — grasping at thin air and epitomized Messi’s confidence and swagger. He is embracing the responsibility of leading Argentina to its third World Cup title, scoring in five of his six games in Qatar. He even had a penalty saved in the one game in which he didn’t score. “I am honored to train him and see him play,” said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, who was in tears in the post-match celebrations. “Every time you see him play, it’s a huge source of motivation for his teammates, fans and the whole world.” Croatia failed in its bid to reach a second straight World Cup final after conceding two goals in a five-minute span from the 34th, just when the team was looking comfortable at Lusail Stadium and Messi was raising concerns by rubbing his hamstring. Maybe it was a ruse. Messi was soon toying with his opponents in a way only he can and put Argentina ahead by lifting his penalty into the top corner after Álvarez was taken out by Dominik Livakovic after clipping the ball past the Croatia goalkeeper. Álvarez scored himself in the 39th after a surging run from halfway, which started after he collected Messi’s short pass. Then came the crowning moment, Álvarez’s second goal, after Messi took Gvardiol for a ride in the right corner. It was one game too far for Croatia, which had beaten Japan and Brazil on penalties in the knockout stage, and star midfielder Luka Modric, who — at 37 — has likely played his final World Cup match. Summing up a frustrating game for the little midfield magician, he was substituted in the 81st minute and had a bright red nose after the ball slammed into his face moments earlier. “The first goal took the match in a different direction,” Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić said. “It’s the true Messi we all expected to see.” Argentina maintained its record of never having lost in the World Cup semifinals and has reached the final for the sixth time. Those dark days after losing to Saudi Arabia in its opening group match seem so long ago now for Argentina, which will be hard to stop in the final with Messi playing this well. “Even though we lost our first match, we were confident that this group was going to push forward,” Messi said. “We know what we are, and we called on the fans to believe in us.” MESSI RECORDS Messi became Argentina’s record scorer at World Cups with his third penalty of the tournament taking him to 11 goals in total — one more than Gabriel Batistuta. He also tied the record for most appearances at the World Cup by playing for the 25th time, the same number as Lothar Matthäus of Germany. ALVAREZ The 22-year-old Álvarez didn’t start the tournament as Argentina’s striker. He only took the place of Lautaro Martinez in the third group game and now has four goals, one behind Messi and Mbappé. He is the youngest player to score twice in a World Cup semifinal match since a 17-year-old Pele scored a hat trick in 1958.

Croatia has already ended Neymar’s World Cup dream. Now it hopes to do the same to Lionel Messi. Croatia, runner-up in 2018, is the next obstacle for Argentina to overcome on Tuesday in the semifinals as Messi aims to win the one major trophy that has eluded him. But Croatia, which lost to France in the final in Russia, is on its own mission to go one step further this time around. READ: FIFA World Cup 2022: Semi-Final Round Overview “I don’t think we need to fear anybody. We need to look at ourselves to play our best game,” Croatia defender Josip Juranovic said Sunday. “I would say the secret of our success is our togetherness, our unity. The fact that we act and play as a family.” Neymar was left in tears after Croatia beat Brazil 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw through extra time in their quarterfinal match. Messi has been in inspired form during Argentina’s run to the semifinals, scoring four goals in five games. His assist for Nahuel Molina against the Netherlands in the quarterfinals was a moment of magic from the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner. Messi appears to have taken it on himself to lead his country to its third World Cup triumph and a first since 1986. Argentina last reached the final in 2014 — losing 1-0 to Germany at the Maracana Stadium in Brazil. That was as close as Messi has come to lifting soccer’s biggest trophy and he is just one game away from having another shot at it. Croatia appears calm for now ahead of the game at Lusail Stadium. READ: Messi, Modric carry Argentina, Croatia into World Cup semis “We don’t have a specific plan, at least not yet, for stopping Lionel Messi,” Croatia striker Bruno Petkovic said. “Usually we don’t concentrate on just stopping one player but the whole team. “The way we approach that is we need to stop them as a team. Not by man marking or some kind of similar tactics. Argentina is not only Messi.” One of Croatia’s main strengths is a midfield led by Real Madrid star Luka Modric. Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić described it as the best midfield in the world after beating Brazil, adding that it “paralyzed” Neymar and Brazil. “I think Mateo (Kovacic), Luka (Modric) and Marcelo (Brozovic) are the best Croatian midfield in history,” Juranovic added. “When you pass them the ball it’s safer than having your money in the bank. Everything gets real easy when you play with them.”