Lionel Messi hails Kylian Mbappe for 'incredible' hat trick in World Cup final

Posted Wednesday, March 08, 2023 by ESPN

Lionel Messi praised Kylian Mbappe for scoring a hat trick in the World Cup final and said it was amazing that his display wasn't enough to see France lift the trophy.

Messi won his first World Cup title with Argentina after they beat France 4-2 on penalties following a thrilling 3-3 draw in Qatar.

The Argentina captain scored twice while his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Mbappe became the second player in history to score a hat trick in the men's World Cup final.

"It really was a breathtaking final. It was crazy how the match went," Messi told PSG TV on Monday. "Kylian scored three incredible goals, in a final! Not being able to be champion after that was crazy.

"But he's already won it too, and he knows what it's like to be world champion. So yes, it was a great final for the football world. And now it's true that it's nice to be able to play in the same team with him, and I hope we can do great things here in Paris."

Messi also beat Mbappe to win the Best FIFA Men's Player award last month, and the 35-year-old said he feels more settled in France following a difficult debut campaign.

Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe were the two standout performers at the 2022 World Cup.

"Yes, it's true that I feel very well," he said. "The first year, I needed a little time to adapt to Paris for different reasons, but I started this season really differently, with a lot of desire.

"I feel more comfortable with the club, with the city, with everything that Paris means. And the truth is that I am really enjoying this season. I think my whole life has been like that.

"About dedication, work, effort and wanting more every day. I've arrived at a new club and I want to win the title with Paris, to be able to achieve the big goals we set ourselves at the beginning of the season."

PSG travel to Bayern Munich on Wednesday in the Champions League round-of-16 second leg looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit, and Messi said the team are determined to turn things around.

"We're going to Munich, where it's going to be a very tough match, just like the first one," he said. "Everything will be decided by small details, especially as it is very difficult to win in this stadium.

"But I think that if we do things right, we are capable of turning things around. We want to continue our journey in the Champions League. And that's what we will try to do."

The French champions will be without star forward Neymar after he was ruled out for the remainder of the season with an ankle injury.