It was a truly incredible Planet Cup both on and off the discipline that culminated in Lionel Messi and Argentina’s fairytale victory more than France in a vintage final.
We witnessed the implosion of Cristiano Ronaldo’s legacy, Morocco’s magical operate to the semi-finals, Kylian Mbappe do almost everything humanly doable but gain the trophy, and failure for Germany, Brazil, Spain and others.
There was agony as soon as once again for England as Harry Kane skied his penalty in a heartbreaking exit to France.
But away from the football, there has under no circumstances been these kinds of a controversial World Cup as Qatar 2022. The fatalities of countless numbers of migrant personnel developing stadiums, the banning of armbands promoting LGBTQ+ legal rights, a very last-minute U-turn on providing beer and political protests in excess of Iran built for an unsettling backdrop.
Sportsmail requires a seem back at the match with a range of some of the most evocative pictures.
The instant of destiny for Lionel Messi as he finished his medal selection and capped a fairytale job by lifting the World Cup just after Argentina’s win over France in a vintage last
Argentina’s third World Cup victory – and their first considering that 1986 – sparked wild scenes of celebration back in Buenos Aires
A deflated Kylian Mbappe displays immediately after a fascinating Entire world Cup remaining, in which his own hat-trick exploits proved not enough
The evening sky is illuminated by dozens of fireworks higher than the Doha Corniche as the hosts attempted to put on a Environment Cup present
Jordan Henderson (left) and Jude Bellingham (suitable) fashioned a sturdy partnership on and off the pitch all through England’s operate to the quarter-finals of the Entire world Cup. They are pictured celebrating Henderson’s target from Bellingham’s assist in opposition to Senegal
Morocco have been the tale of the Globe Cup – led by mentor Walid Regragui (major), they defied all odds to make the semi-finals
Though Messi finally claimed his World Cup, there was only distress for his rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who was dropped to the Portugal bench by mentor Fernando Santos for the knockout rounds . No prizes for guessing who the emphasis of interest was
There was far more distress after once more for Germany, who bombed out after the team phases for the second straight Planet Cup
Some of the stadiums in Qatar did offer amazing backdrops, this kind of as the Lusail Stadium at dusk in this article, but the slick operating of the event arrived with a major human toll
1000’s of migrant staff, mostly from the Asian subcontinent, died in intense warmth making stadia and infrastructure
There was a catastrophe for Environment Cup sponsors Budweiser on the eve of the tournament with beer banned within stadiums
Brazil fell quick after once more, with Neymar and his staff-mates stunned by Croatia in a penalty shoot-out in the quarter-finals
Morocco eliminated Spain and then Portugal but reigning champions France proved a action far too significantly for them in the semi-finals
Argentina’s player returned property in the early hours to obtain hundreds of countless numbers of followers ready to rejoice with them
England captain Harry Kane was prosperous with his 1st penalty in the quarter-ultimate with France (still left) – but crucially he despatched his 2nd just one significant above the crossbar late on (ideal)
Goncalo Ramos was one of the breakout stars of the event – he changed Ronaldo for Portugal’s previous-16 match with Switzerland and proceeded to score a hat-trick
Capture me if you can! Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic is pursued by his staff-mates immediately after Brazil’s Marquinhos rues his skipped penalty in the quarter-remaining shoot-out
Pyrotechnics explode around a large duplicate of the Environment Cup trophy in advance of the remaining among Argentina and France
The African groups can always be relied upon to include a splash of color to any Environment Cup and these Senegal fans were being no exception forward of their team stage recreation with the Netherlands
The event commenced with debate more than the OneLove armband, which the captains of several European nations had been scheduling to have on until eventually FIFA pointed out they would obtain a yellow card. The organisers then arrived up with their own variation
The selection to ban the OneLove armband led to this included mouth protest from the Germany group right before their recreation
FIFA president Gianni Infantino proved as slippery and evasive as at any time when it came to matters of human legal rights in Qatar
Iranian admirers show their solidarity with gals protesting for their legal rights in the state in advance of their video game with England
Morgan Freeman played a cameo position in the opening ceremony – a little something the BBC made a decision not to screen on most important protection
Croatian product Ivana Knoll was an attraction at their matches – but her skimpy outfits failed to depart the locals far too pleased
Wales went house right after the group stage and it was their defeat to Iran that brought on all the problems to their campaign
United States worldwide Sergino Dest reflects on their final-16 defeat to the Netherlands in a tranquil second of solitude
Spain remained some way small of their greatest as they had been overwhelmed on penalties by Morocco in the round of 16
There was tragedy among the the press pack when esteemed American journalist Grant Wahl died even though reporting on the match among Argentina and Netherlands in the quarter-finals
Two youngsters in Argentina shirts engage in soccer beneath the fluttering flags in Doha as the globe came to their town
A sliding doorways instant in a basic remaining as the Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez retains out a very last-gasp shot from France participant Randal Kolo Muani in the dying times of more time
Mbappe may perhaps have gained the consolation of the Golden Boot for major scorer but he walked previous the main prize
Echoes of Diego Maradona in 1986 as Lionel Messi is lifted aloft, trophy in hand, by his victorious Argentina workforce-mates