Lionel Messi believes Diego Maradona "encouraged us from heaven" as Argentina beat France in Sunday's World Cup final.

La Albiceleste ended a 36-year wait to win their third World Cup with a penalty shoot-out victory over the reigning champions at Lusail Stadium.

The teams drew 3-3 after extra time, with a Messi double and Angel Di Maria strike cancelled out by a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick as a gripping tie went all the way to spot-kicks.

However, Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni failed to convert their penalties as Argentina won the shoot-out 4-2 to earn Messi his first World Cup in dramatic fashion.

The win was especially emotional with the World Cup in Qatar the first since Maradona, who famously led Argentina to glory at the 1986 World Cup, passed away in November 2020.

After losing the 2014 World Cup final to Germany because of a 113th-minute Mario Gotze winner, Messi was glad the same fate did not befall Argentina against France.

Messi released a message on Instagram, saying: "I always dreamed of being a world champion and I didn't want to stop trying, even knowing that maybe I would never give up.

"This cup we got is also from all those who did not make it in the previous World Cups we played, like in 2014 in Brazil, where they all deserved it for how they fought until the same final, worked hard and wanted it as much as I did.

"It's also from Diego who encouraged us from heaven.

"And of all those who spent the time always supporting the national team without looking so much at the result but the desire we always put into it, also when things didn't go as we wanted.

"Many times failure is part of the journey and learning and without the disappointments it is impossible for success to come.

"Thank you very much from my heart! Let's go Argentina!!!"

Messi's latest Instagram message came after his photo holding the World Cup trophy became the most popular post in the social media platform's history, amassing 65 million likes.

He followed that up by uploading a picture on Tuesday of him in bed holding the famous trophy, which was liked over 40 million times in the nine hours after it was posted.

After the country's government declared Tuesday a national holiday, Messi and his team-mates landed back in Argentina and were greeted by mass crowds of adoring fans.

Barcelona coach Xavi says midfield duo Gavi and Pedri are better than he and fellow Blaugrana legend Andres Iniesta were at 20 years of age.

Gavi and Pedri each started all four of Spain's games at the World Cup in Qatar, having also assumed key roles for LaLiga leaders Barca since Xavi took charge last year.  

The duo's incisive passing and telepathic relationship has attracted comparisons to Xavi's own partnership with Iniesta, with that pair experiencing remarkable success at club and international level.

However, when speaking to Barca's media channels on Tuesday, Xavi said the Blaugrana's current midfield duo had developed quicker than their illustrious predecessors.

"Me at 20 years old and Andres at 20 years old were not at the level of Pedri or Gavi," Xavi said. "How Gavi competes, the passion he puts in... we were not at his level.

"We have very young players. Eric [Garcia], Pedri, Ansu [Fati], Gavi... Frenkie [de Jong] is young. We have Barca for the present and for the future."

Xavi did concede the demands on some of Barca's young players may be too great, adding: "Gavi has played practically everything. Ansu is a talent, but perhaps we are asking too much of them."

Barca are two points clear of rivals Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga, winning 12 of their 14 games this season after investing heavily in the transfer window.

The Catalan giants put together big-money moves for the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde and Raphinha in the off-season, but Xavi does not expect a repeat in January.

"I told [director of football] Mateu [Alemany] not to play too much, that I'm happy with the family, it's a fantastic group," Xavi said. "We don't know if we'll be able to incorporate new players.

"I think we can be competitive. I'm happy with the leaders, we train at 100 per cent and it shows on the field. If we don't touch anything, I'll be very happy."

Pele is the greatest of all time for Peter Reid, though the former England midfielder knows there is not much to choose between the Brazil legend, Diego Maradona or Lionel Messi.

Argentina's World Cup success in Qatar has surely cemented Messi's place as the greatest player of his generation, though whether the 35-year-old will go down as the best of ever is open for debate.

Messi has now matched his late compatriot Maradona in dragging Argentina to World Cup glory, with the late, great former captain lifting the trophy at Mexico 1986.

Reid played for England against Argentina in the famous 'Hand of God' game in that tournament and was left in Maradona's wake for the mercurial number 10's second goal of the match, which has been immortalised as 'The Goal of the Century'.

Reid, though, quipped Pele – a winner of three World Cups – was his pick.

"Erm, Pele," Reid joked when asked by Stats Perform who was the best out of Messi and Maradona. "They're all icons of the game."

Reid is pleased to see Messi finally get his hands on the only trophy that had been missing from his collection.

"Yeah, I think he's been an absolutely outstanding footballer and it was the one major trophy that he hadn't won, and I think he's a credit to himself on the park and off the park," he said.

He added of the tournament: "I thought there was some great games, I thought the best team won it and I still don't know the penalty rule. I haven't got a clue what a penalty is these days, but I did enjoy it, I've got to say."

It was a similar story for Liverpool great Ian Rush, who enjoyed his experience in Qatar supporting Wales.

"I was out there and from a Welsh point of view it was a privilege to be there, 1958 was last time we qualified so no matter where the World Cup was going to be, I was going to be there because it's the first time I have gotten the chance to see Wales playing at the World Cup," Rush told Stats Perform.

"But I enjoyed it and I really enjoyed the World Cup out there. The people were very friendly. It's the icing on the cake for Messi to get his hands on the World Cup."

Victor Osimhen has ruled out leaving Napoli before the end of the season, outlining his determination to see out their Scudetto bid before considering a move.

Manchester United have been touted as contenders for Osimhen's signature after terminating the contract of Cristiano Ronaldo, while Tottenham have previously been linked with the Nigeria international.

Osimhen leads Serie A's scoring charts with nine goals this season, and his superb form helped Napoli move eight points clear at the summit before the World Cup break.

Napoli have not won the Scudetto since Diego Maradona inspired them to glory in the 1989-90 campaign, and Osimhen is determined to end that drought before moving on.

"The future is this moment, it is winning something important in Italy. It is difficult to think of anything better than Napoli," he told Il Mattino.

"This is one of the greatest teams in Europe, it's an extraordinary club, and it's normal that now I'm only focused on what we have to do this season. 

"Because we haven't done anything yet, we have to win something. Then we'll see what happens."

Osimhen credits his own development to the methods of Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti, who led the side to a third-placed finish in his first campaign in charge last season.

"I always change, every day. It's important to continue to change, to grow, to always take a step forward," Osimhen said.

"My growth is linked to Spalletti, he believes in me, he gives me stimuli, makes me work hard and never lets me stop. 

"With him, everything is more simple because you understand that it's a job that he makes you do to improve further. It's just the beginning for me, I haven't reached any goal yet."

Tom Brady has expressed sympathy for Kylian Mbappe after his remarkable hat-trick was not enough to win the World Cup final for France.  

Mbappe became just the second man to score a treble in the tournament's showpiece game – after Geoff Hurst in 1966 – as Les Bleus forced a penalty shoot-out at the end of an epic 3-3 draw with Argentina.

The forward's eight goals in Qatar won him the Golden Boot, but he was unable to get his hands on the trophy for a second time as the Albiceleste triumphed on spot-kicks.

Speaking on the Let's Go podcast, seven-time Super Bowl champion Brady said Mbappe's World Cup final heartache was proof no sportsperson was "entitled" to victory.

"Man, losing sucks. That's just the reality. There's not a lot of explanation," the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback said.

"I have a lot more empathy for guys who are putting in a lot more time and energy and things aren't going their way. 

"That could be not just a football player. That's anyone in their job. That could be the guy working at UPS. That could be the guy working in the military. That could be the guy working in the sales office.

"That could be Kylian Mbappe, who scored three goals in the World Cup final, and you know what? The team didn't win. That's life. 

"You're not entitled to winning. No one is guaranteed winning. No one is guaranteed tomorrow. 

"The sun came up today, and you're going to try and make this the best day you can."

Jorge Sampaoli claimed he is not involved in making a decision over Isco's future at Sevilla.

The playmaker only joined Sevilla in August, but now looks set to depart despite having signed a two-year deal.

Isco, once a key player for both Real Madrid and Spain, has played 19 times for Sevilla this season, starting 16 games.

He has contributed to four goals, scoring one and providing three assists, while creating 22 goalscoring opportunities for his team-mates.

Indeed, Isco has already played over three times as many minutes (1,264) as he did across the whole of last season with Madrid (406).

Yet there are widespread reports that the 30-year-old has agreed to terminate his contract.

Asked about those rumours on Monday, ahead of Sevilla's Copa del Rey tie with Juventud de Torremolinos, Sampaoli told reporters it was out of his hands.

"The reality with Isco is a situation that does not involve me too much," he said.

"My role as a coach is to see what I have available and develop a job.

"Isco has a great quality that he has proved during his career, but the decision on who arrives and who leaves is not the coach's, but the club's."

Juventus, Napoli, Aston Villa and Wolves – now managed by former Sevilla, Madrid and Spain boss Julen Lopetegui – have been linked with making a move for Isco.

The French Football Federation (FFF) has confirmed it will be filing complaints after some France players were subject to "racist and hateful remarks" on social media.

France went down 4-2 on penalties to Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday, following a 3-3 draw at Lusail Stadium in Doha.

In the wake of that loss, several France players are said to have been racially abused on social media.

On Monday, Bayern Munich condemned the abuse of Kingsley Coman, who missed a penalty in the shoot-out. 

Now, the FFF has promised to lodge complaints against those responsible for the abuse of Coman and his team-mates.

"Following the World Cup final, several players from the French team were the subject of unacceptable racist and hateful remarks on social networks," a statement read.

"The FFF condemns them and will file a complaint against those responsible."

Manchester City's Alex Greenwood has penned a three-year contract extension, fixing her future ahead of next year's World Cup.

The 29-year-old, who signed for City in 2020, has agreed to extend her stay at the club until June 2026.

Greenwood, a member of England's Euro-winning squad under Sarina Wiegman earlier this year, has made 80 appearances for City.

"Feeling settled at a club for me is so important," she told the club's official website. "I just love being here."

"I have a really good relationship with Gareth, and the way he wants us to play marries up exactly with how I want to. It's the perfect match for me."

"We just want to keep winning football matches and trophies, which is what we expect of ourselves here. It's an exciting time to be at City."

Greenwood's secure future will prove one less distraction for her and hands a boost to the Lionesses, who will hope to replicate European success on the world stage in 2023.

Having lost the 2019 World Cup final with the Netherlands, boss Wiegman is looking to go one better next year, though she knows the greatest performance of a lifetime can still fall short.

"If you play your best game, like the England men did against France, [it could] be a win, could be a tie, could be a defeat," she told The Guardian.

"But you can be proud of yourself because you played at your highest level. You're going to be devastated by not winning, but at the end you can be proud because you did everything that's in your control.

"That's how I approach it. Don't always think of the result. We're not going to a World Cup just to play, we're going there to win."

The World Cup will take place in Australia and New Zealand in July and August.

Manchester City's Alex Greenwood has penned a three-year contract extension, fixing her future ahead of next year's World Cup.

The 29-year-old, who signed for City in 2020, has agreed to extend her stay at the club until June 2026.

Greenwood, a member of England's Euro-winning squad under Sarina Wiegman earlier this year, has made 80 appearances for City.

"Feeling settled at a club for me is so important," she told the club's official website. "I just love being here."

"I have a really good relationship with Gareth, and the way he wants us to play marries up exactly with how I want to. It's the perfect match for me."

"We just want to keep winning football matches and trophies, which is what we expect of ourselves here. It's an exciting time to be at City."

Greenwood's secure future will prove one less distraction for her and hands a boost to the Lionesses, who will hope to replicate European success on the world stage in 2023.

Having lost the 2019 World Cup final with the Netherlands, boss Wiegman is looking to go one better next year, though she knows the greatest performance of a lifetime can still fall short.

"If you play your best game, like the England men did against France, [it could] be a win, could be a tie, could be a defeat," she told The Guardian.

"But you can be proud of yourself because you played at your highest level. You're going to be devastated by not winning, but at the end you can be proud because you did everything that's in your control.

"That's how I approach it. Don't always think of the result. We're not going to a World Cup just to play, we're going there to win."

The World Cup will take place in Australia and New Zealand in July and August.

Lionel Messi's Instagram message celebrating Argentina's World Cup win has become the most popular post in the social media platform's history, with 56 million likes.

Messi finally won international football's greatest prize after Argentine edged out France 4-2 on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw in Sunday's final at Lusail Stadium.

For the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, it is the final rubber stamp on his status as the greatest footballer of his generation, and arguably the greatest of all time.

Now, Messi has another record to his name, with his post in the wake of Argentina's success surpassing the previous high-water mark held by the World Record Egg, which gained 55.9 million likes.

"Thank you very much to my family, to all who support me and also to all who believed in us," the 35-year-old wrote in his caption.

"We demonstrate once again that Argentines when we fight together and united we are capable of achieving what we set out to do.

"The merit belongs to this group, which is above individuals. It is the strength of all fighting for the same dream that was also the dream of all Argentines... We did it!!!"

Messi, who was named the World Cup Golden Ball recipient for the second time, scored twice in Sunday's final, and netted the first successful penalty of his side's shoot-out.

Bayern Munich are looking at Aston Villa's Emiliano Martinez as the potential solution to their goalkeeper issue, as Manuel Neuer is expected to miss the second-half of the season through his skiing injury.

Martinez, 30, had an interesting journeyman career before arriving with Villa in 2020, having been contracted to Arsenal, but loaned out to Oxford United, Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham United, Wolves, Getafe and Reading.

In his first two seasons with Villa, Martinez kept 26 Premier League clean sheets, earning his Argentina debut in June 2021.

His ascension to La Albiceleste's number one saw him earn the 2021 Copa America Golden Glove as the tournament's best goalkeeper, and he followed it up with another Golden Glove after securing the World Cup title in a penalty shoot-out.

Neuer's leg fracture leaves Bayern without their first-choice goalkeeper, and with only a four-point gap atop the Bundesliga, they are reportedly desperate to secure a replacement in January.

TOP STORY – ARGENTINA WORLD CUP HERO TARGETED AS BAYERN'S NEUER REPLACEMENT

According to Media Foot, it is "out of the question" for Bayern to leave the January transfer window without a new goalkeeper, and Martinez's World Cup exploits have him at the top of the list.

He remains under contract with Villa until 2027, giving the Premier League side plenty of leverage in negotiations, and after signing him for £17million, will likely have their sights set on a significant profit to part ways with their world-class shot-stopper.

However, he is not the only keeper the German giants are keeping a close eye on from the World Cup, with Sky Sports Germany reporting they also are investigating Croatia's Dominic Livakovic and Morocco's Yassine Bounou.

That report states Bayern will try to tempt 34-year-old Borussia Monchengladbach's Yann Sommer to the club on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of the season, but that will not address their immediate pressing need.

ROUND-UP

– Sport is reporting Barcelona are in advanced negotiations with Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante on personal terms, as he is able to leave Stamford Bridge on a free transfer after the season.

– Journalist Ekrem Konur claims Sevilla are the latest club to enquire about 22-year-old Angers midfielder Azzedine Ounahi, who impressed for Morocco in Qatar.

– According to GiveMeSport, Chelsea are in the race to land 18-year-old Borussia Dortmund phenom Youssoufa Moukoko when his contract expires at the end of the season, while Si Phillips adds they will also try to sign out-of-contract Manchester United prospect Alejandro Garnacho.

– Sky Sports is reporting Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and multiple Premier League clubs have taken a liking to 27-year-old Celtic right-back Josip Juranovic after his performances at the World Cup for Croatia.

– According to Fabrizio Romano, 20-year-old Italian midfielder Ibrahima Bamba will likely leave Vitoria Guimaraes in January amid interest from Atalanta, Club Brugge and unnamed Premier League sides.

Didier Deschamps thanked fans after France landed back in Paris following their "cruel" World Cup final defeat to Argentina on Sunday.

Les Bleus were looking to become the first team to retain the World Cup since Brazil in 1962, but they were beaten 4-2 on penalties by Argentina after an enthralling 3-3 draw.

Kylian Mbappe's hat-trick helped France recover from 2-0 and then 3-2 down, but Aurelien Tchoumeni and Kingsley Coman failed to convert in the shoot-out as Deschamps' men fell to a heartbreaking defeat.

Nevertheless, the team were greeted by a mass crowd as they returned to Paris on Monday, and Deschamps expressed his appreciation for the support after such a crushing loss.

"It is our duty with the players to thank all these French men and women who supported us and gave a lot of strength to this France group," he told TF1. "We shared fabulous emotions even if the ending is cruel and hurts.

"We must not forget all that this group did while having a lot of difficulties before and during the World Cup. They experienced fabulous emotions during this month of competition."

Captain Hugo Lloris echoed his head coach's sentiments after missing out on becoming the first man to skipper his team to two World Cup trophies.

"After the pain of yesterday, [the reception is] a little comfort," Lloris said. "The most important thing is the recognition of the supporters, even if as an athlete we would have liked to have this gold medal and bring the cup back to France."

France now turn their attentions to the 2024 European Championship in Germany, where they will be looking to win the tournament for a third time.

Lloris compelled his team to carry their strong mentality from Qatar into their next competition, adding: "Despite what happened before and during the tournament, we showed resilience, we remained a group. We have to keep that going for the Euros."

Striker Olivier Giroud, who surpassed Thierry Henry as France's all-time record goalscorer in Qatar, added: "We're going to give each other a big hug and go on vacation to recharge our batteries, because there is a season to finish.

"It is always difficult to leave a group with which we spent a month and a half. We are like a family, like brothers."

Napoli director Cristiano Giuntoli insists there is "absolutely no chance" of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia leaving the club, with the winger saying he "feels so at home" with the Serie A leaders.

The Georgia international, who arrived from Dinamo Batumi in July, has played an instrumental role in Napoli's impressive start to the season, with Luciano Spalletti's side eight points clear at the Serie A summit.

No player has been directly involved in more goals this term than Kvaratskhelia (11 - scored six, assisted five), with his tally only matched by team-mate Victor Osimhen, who is the leading marksman in the Italian top flight (nine).

The 21-year-old's performances have generated interest from several clubs, with Premier League side Newcastle United reportedly making him their top target and set to offer £50 million (€57.3m) in the forthcoming January transfer window.

But when asked about the speculation, Giuntoli told SportExpress: "There is absolutely no chance of us letting him leave, regardless of how much the offer is."

Meanwhile, Kvaratskhelia feels settled in Naples, telling students during an event at the Federico II University: "Neapolitans live for football, I realised that from the very first moment I arrived here.

"The first time I played at the Stadio Maradona is when I truly felt like a professional footballer. The people of Naples expect a lot from us, so it's important to always work at the highest level. I thank them, because they give us so much love.

"Neapolitans and Georgians both put family first and foremost, which is also why I feel so at home here."

The Ballaz Academy Under-10 and Under-12 teams starred at the third staging of the Springs Holiday Cup in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on the weekend, as they both won their respective divisions in unbeaten fashion.

 In the U10 final, Ballaz had to come from behind to defeat Galacticos Soccer 2-1.

Galacticos got their goal in the first half but Braden Burkett drew Ballaz level from the penalty spot midway the second half.

 Just when the game seemed destined for a penalty shootout, Makiri D’Aguilar, who scored in every game of the tournament, to finish with six goals, found the winner with an exquisite volley from just inside the box with virtually the final kick of the match.

 It was the second match between the two teams as they faced each other in the final preliminary round game to decide the finalists. Ballaz won that game 3-1 with Makiri D’Aguilar firing home a hattrick before the Galacticos got a consolation late on.

 D’Aguilar was the Under-10 standout player for Ballaz as his influence was noticeable in every game his team played.

 In the Under-12 final, Ballaz cruised past Florida Krause Krush 3-1with goals coming from Jacob Smith, Captain Jude Davis from the penalty spot and Joshua-Liam Hibbert before their opponents spoiled the clean sheet with a late consolation goal.

 David ended the tournament with five goals.

 But before they played the final, the Ballaz U12 team completed their first-round fixtures with a 3-0 win over Parkland Soccer Club. Malik Campbell, Joshua-Liam Hibbert and Shemar Cameron got the goals in that game.

 Campbell prodded home the first before Hibbert blasted home the second to knock the wind out of their opponents. Cameron then scored with a long-range lofted drive to complete the scoring in the first half. It was their second win over Parkland.

 After winning one game and losing the other on day one, the Under-11 team needed to win their final group game to make the final. They beat Springs Soccer Club 3-1 through two goals from Khyel Dale and one from Jacob Heron to be the third Ballaz team to play in a championship match.

But after making it all the way to the final, they fell at the final hurdle, losing 0-1 to Team Boca, the team to which they lost to in their first game of the tournament and by the same margin.

The Under-13 team were the only team that failed to make the final as they came up short on Sunday.

With one win from two games on Saturday, a win against FC Prime was needed to advance but they went down 1-2 to miss out on a chance at a medal. Jevon Richards got the consolation goal for the U-13 team.

Xavi and Joan Laporta paid tribute to Lionel Messi following his long-awaited World Cup triumph, the latter stating "historical justice has been done."

The former Barcelona star led Argentina to glory in Qatar as La Albiceleste defeated reigning champions France 4-2 on penalties following an enthralling 3-3 draw at Lusail Stadium.

The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner finally added the sport's biggest prize to his collection following a glittering career that has also seen him win 11 league titles, four Champions Leagues, three Club World Cups and the Copa America.

And the Paris Saint-Germain forward's achievements were by saluted by Barca head coach Xavi with his former team-mate also empathising with Ousmane Dembele and Jules Kounde, who were on the losing French side.

"It was an extraordinary final for the spectator, one of the best matches I've seen in my life," he said at the premiere of a new Prime Video docuseries entitled 'FC Barcelona, A New Era.'

"I think Argentina were better and deserved it. I feel sorry for Dembele and Kounde. But we must congratulate Leo Messi, who now has his World Cup, something that could not be missing in his career."

Blaugrana president Laporta added: "He deserves it, he is the best of all time, historical justice has been done.

"We would have been happy if our Kounde and Dembele won it, but I think all of us who love and are grateful to Messi for what he has given us are happy for him."