3-5-2 FOOTBALL

In probably the wildest final in the tournament’s 92-year history, Argentina won its third World Cup title. They beat France 4-2 in a penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw featuring two goals from Lionel Messi and a hat trick by Kylian Mbappé. Messi was in scintillating form from the start of the final, putting Argentina ahead from the penalty spot after Angel Di Maria was tripped. Just 11 minutes later, he played a part in a flowing team move that resulted in Di Maria making it 2-0 after 36 minutes. Argentina dominated the first half and took a 2-0 lead into the break. Mbappé, on the other hand, was anonymous until bursting into life by scoring two goals in a 97-second span. The first came from the penalty spot in the 80th minute, and the other was a volley to take the game to extra time at 2-2. The 35-year-old Messi still had plenty of energy, and he was in the right position to tap in his second goal in the 108th minute. Argentina was on the brink of the title once again. However, Franc

Senegal clinched its first-ever Africa Cup of Nations title after missing out on two previous occasions. The final was a match billed as a battle between Liverpool forwards Sadio Mane , of Senegal, and Egypt captain Mohamed Salah . Mane netted the winning spot-kick as Senegal beat Egypt 4-2 on penalties to clinch their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations, after the final ended goalless following extra time. The Liverpool forward had earlier seen a seventh-minute penalty saved by Pharaohs keeper Gabaski . Chelsea's Edouard Mendy denied Mohanad Lasheen to give Mane the chance to win it in Yaounde's Olembe Stadium. After two frustrating finals, Senegal ended their wait to be the Africa Cup of Nations Champions. Egypt missed out on a record-extending eighth continental crown that would also have been a first for Salah. THE MATCH

Defending champions Brazil defeated Spain 2-1 to win their second consecutive gold medal in men’s football after their Gold in Rio. Spain bagged the Silver, while Mexico clinched the Bronze after defeating host Japan in the third placing match. Substitute Malcom delivered the winner in the 108th minute. Here are some interesting facts about the Olympics  football final. 1. It took Brazil 64 years to win their first Olympic gold medal in football. Just five years later, they won their second. 2. Brazil became the fifth team in history to win back-to-back men’s titles at the Olympics. Argentina was the last to accomplish the feat in 2004 and 2008 3. The Rio Olympic final had been played out in front of 63,000 people at the Maracanã. In Yokohama, the teams were confronted with the familiar spectacle of empty plastic seats. The International Stadium is a huge open concrete bowl, agreeably tatty in places, with the sprawling vista that comes from a six-lane old-school running track ar

Ballon d’Or is the greatest footballing individual achievement anybody can get on a global stage. The winner will be handed a gold trophy and this has been handed out to the best player on the planet since 1956. Ballon d'Or was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID19 is now back. The world cannot wait to see the biggest individual honour the game has to offer to the winner in 2021. Although the award will only be handed out in December, performances over these last few weeks will go a long way to deciding who will and won't be in contention to be the next winner of the Golden Ball. With the European season now well behind us and both Euro 2020 and the Copa America also in the books, the world's best players are beginning to come to the fore. Although world football has dozens of talents and potentials to win this coveted award, but the last decade showed a total duopoly between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi securing 11 of the total awards between themselves in the last 1

Euphoria erupts in the streets of Rome immediately after the victory.  Roberto Mancini  boys became men as they came back from the shock concede and claim a 3-2 victory over  England  at Wembley. Luke Shaw 's goal inside the opening two minutes gave England a lead, which looked like it would hold onto all night. But a goalmouth scramble midway through the second half allowed  Leonardo Bonucci  to poke home an equalizer for  Italy . It was a similar story in the first additional 15 minutes, though England did briefly force their way back into the game in the second period, albeit without either side creating anything to reward the crowd for their waves of noise. So it went to penalties, where England’s young guns failed and Italy took the championship. It is the  Azzurri 's first major title in 15 years since they won the World Cup over France. Gianlucci Donnarumma  saved from  Jadon Sancho  and  Bukayo Saka  after  Marcus Rashford  hit the post, as  Federico Bernardeschi ,  Leo

Lionel Messi  finally able to secure his first international medal with Argentina to his collection of  La Liga ,  Champions League ,  World Club Cup ,  Ballon d’Or  and more. Clearly he is in tears, succumbed to the atmosphere finally realizing the dreams have come true at last. Argentina  have also won their first major title in 28 years on Saturday when an  Angel Di Maria  goal gave them a 1-0 win over  Brazil  and a record-equalling 15th  Copa America . The victory also means they draw level with  Uruguay  as the all-time leading winners. Di Maria, starting for just the second time in the Copa, justified his selection by scoring the opener in the 22nd minute in the first half. Argentina managed to defend even when Brazil piled on the pressure in an exciting second half but even with five strikers on the field they could not get an equaliser against an Argentine defence protected by the outstanding  Rodrigo De Paul . MURSYID ALHARAMAIN Messi finished the tournament’s joint top goals