Argentina beat France in the World Cup Final, and what the world witnessed is why we’re all glad Twitter still exists — because the reactions were insane.
Anyone wondering why they call it The Beautiful Game need look no further than the Argentina-France World Cup Final on Sunday.
Recency bias be damned, what the world witnessed was an instant classic and perhaps the finest soccer match we’ll ever see. Both Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé were at the absolute peak of their powers with seven goals scored between the two of them in a match that needed penalty kicks to determine a winner.
In the end, Argentina survived multiple implosions to emerge as World Cup champions.
Needless to say, timelines all over the globe were on fire as the world watched what could end up being the best World Cup Final in the history of The Beautiful Game:
I just want to say, no matter how this ends, I'm glad we fit this moment in together before this site blows up entirely. The last 16 years here have been great for these exact moments and someday we'll have another home for them
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) December 18, 2022
I can’t remember an NBA or NFL final game where 2 all time guys were all time in the same game. This is really something!
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) December 18, 2022
the entire timeline watching this world cup final pic.twitter.com/DcgehYuljx
— sean yoo (@SeanYoo) December 18, 2022
This World Cup final pic.twitter.com/MgyEOV7B2I
— Cody Williams (@TheSizzle20) December 18, 2022
AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
— Lindsay Gibbs (@linzsports) December 18, 2022
No matter who wins this, there can’t be a narrative that the best players didn’t show up.
— Justin Fried (not vėrified) (@JustinTFried) December 18, 2022
Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi both stepped up and showed out.#FIFAWorldCup
this other football game is ELITE
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) December 18, 2022
I am le sad.
— myles brown (@mdotbrown) December 18, 2022
So damn happy for Messi, Di Maria and Argentina. What a way to finally win a World Cup for the current GOAT. Future GOAT Mbappe is unreal
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) December 18, 2022
The perfect game to end an incredible tournament.
— Alicia de Artola Castillo (@PenguinOfTroy) December 18, 2022
Leo Messi, take a bow.
One of the subplots of the World Cup Final was how close it came to bumping into kickoff of Sunday’s NFL slate. No matter how powerful the NFL is, everyone — even folks waiting for their workday to begin — were watching:
Don't cry for me, NFL writers who have to punch the clock and go to work now.
— Darin Gantt (@daringantt) December 18, 2022
Don’t think I’m ready for NFL games to start in 5 minutes. What a World Cup Final.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 18, 2022
Bumping the culmination of the biggest, greatest sporting event on earth so we can watch the first quarter of Jags-Cowboys https://t.co/Q7UhUW0fBD
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) December 18, 2022
We’re supposed to get excited about NFL games today after THIS?!?!?
— Michael Wilbon (@RealMikeWilbon) December 18, 2022
For numerous reasons, the World Cup being in Qatar was an absolute affront to basic humanity. Needing to play the tournament in the fall to avoid blistering temperatures and unsafe playing conditions ended up placing what might be the finest World Cup Final ever ahead of a slate of NFL games thus unintentionally giving us perhaps the greatest day a sports fan could hope for.