A jubilant Messi parades the trophy as he is held aloft (Picture: PA)

First it was, then it wasn’t, then it was, then it wasn’t again. And then – finally – it was. Lionel Messi and Argentina won the World Cup last night but they were made to do it the very hard way.

At the grand old age of 35, the greatest player of all time grasped what was likely his final chance to lift the game’s greatest prize after a dramatic final against defending champions France.

For so many years out of kilter with his national team and finding himself lost in an Argentina shirt, Messi came across an ally in Lionel Scaloni after the former West Ham defender’s surprise appointment as coach in 2019.

Three years on, and with first the Copa America and now the World Cup won, suddenly the shirt fits.

It felt like it could be their time. Doha has been full of Argentina fans all tournament, the majority of whom have not travelled from South America but from closer to the Middle East, with a huge following from India, where the team is admired and adored.

Amid the Argentina supporters, there was the occasional, almost apologetic France follower wandering towards the stadium. Few had travelled from Paris for this. Les Bleus made up maybe five or six per cent of the attendance.

Argentina began on the front foot and did not look back. Ousmane Dembele clipped surprise starter Angel Di Maria in the 23rd minute and Messi fired his side ahead from the spot.

Angel Di Maria salutes his goal for Argentina (Picture: Shutterstock)

It was one-way traffic and France conceded again on 36 minutes. A lovely move, begun by Messi, saw Julian Alvarez feed Alexis Mac Allister and he centred for Di Maria to poke the ball over the diving Hugo Lloris and into the net.

At half-time, France – looking drained and subdued amid speculation over just how hard a sickness bug had hit the squad – appeared doomed. It took until the final stages for Didier Deschamps’ men to threaten but two goals in two minutes totally transformed the game.

Nicolas Otamendi fouled substitute Randal Kolo Muani and Kylian Mbappe, quiet until then, beat Emiliano Martinez. One hundred and thirty-seven seconds later, a wonderful volley from the tournament’s other stand-out star amazingly dragged Les Bleus level.

Kylian Mbappe fires a brilliant second as France fight back (Picture: Getty)

Yet the drama continued. Three minutes into the second period of extra-time Lautaro Martinez’s shot was saved by Lloris and that man Messi followed up to fire in the rebound.

Incredibly, it wasn’t to be the knockout blow. France were not finished and they were awarded another penalty two minutes from time for handball by Gonzalo Montiel. The ice-cool Mbappe again found the net from the spot to ensure a shoot-out after two late chances for Kolo Muani failed to win it.

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It was Argentina who kept their nerve. Messi, Paulo Dybala, Leandro Paredes all converted but Kingsley Coman was denied by Martinez and Aurelien Tchouameni dragged wide before Montiel fired home the winning kick.

Mbappe finished the final with three goals, a penalty in the shoot-out and the Golden Boot but no trophy this time, and no back-to-back World Cups for France. Messi has finally done it, Argentina’s yearning for a first World Cup since 1986 and the immortal Diego Maradona is over. Qatar is theirs.

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Argentina’s yearning for a first World Cup since 1986 and the immortal Maradona is over