Sports

World Cup 2022: Lionel Messi vs Kylian Mbappe final – which players have dominated tournaments?

Published

3 years ago

2022/12/17

Argentina face France in the World Cup final on Sunday, with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe inspiring their respective nations throughout the past month in Qatar.So will the competition be remembered as the ‘Messi World Cup’, with the Argentine finally lifting the trophy that has eluded him, or will Mbappe guide France to successive triumphs, following on from four years ago in Russia?

BBC Sport has taken a look at six other players who were instrumental in their country’s successes in previous years.

Pele, Brazil – 1958

Pele was only 17 when Brazil went to the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, looking to win the tournament for the first time. Left out of his country’s opening two games, the forward then impressed in a 2-0 success over the Soviet Union and scored the only goal in a 1-0 win over Wales in the quarter-finals.

From then on, Pele was unstoppable. He grabbed a hat-trick in a 5-2 semi-final victory over France and two more goals in the 5-2 win over Sweden in the final – including a brilliant effort when he flicked the ball over a defender who had tried to clatter him with a knee-high challenge and then volleyed into the net.

That was to be the first of three World Cup titles for Pele, although he only featured in the opening two matches in 1962, before injury ruled him out. In 1970, though, he was at his very best, scoring four times – including Brazil’s first goal in the thrilling 4-1 final win over Italy.

Mario Kempes, Argentina – 1978

Argentina have won the World Cup twice and, on both occasions, one player has played a huge part in their triumph. In 1978, on home soil, it was Mario Kempes.The Valencia striker had gone into the tournament on the back of being the top goalscorer in La Liga in two successive seasons and was the only player in Argentina’s squad not playing his football in the country.

Kempes failed to score in the first group phase, but in the second phase he shone with both goals in a 2-0 win over Poland, and the first and third in a 6-0 victory over Peru.

That took Argentina into the final and Kempes netted twice more, in a 3-1 win over the Netherlands in Buenos Aires, as he not only helped his country to their first success, but also ended up as the tournament’s top goalscorer and its best player.

Paolo Rossi, Italy – 1982

Going into the 1982 World Cup in Spain, Italy striker Paolo Rossi had only just returned to action after a two-year ban for his part in a match-fixing scandal in Serie A, with national manager Enzo Bearzot criticised in the Italian media for selecting him.

But after a poor start, the striker sparkled against Brazil by scoring a brilliant hat-trick in a match Italy had to win to reach the semi-finals. He followed that with both goals in the 2-0 semi-final victory that saw off Poland, and netted Italy’s first in the 3-1 final win over West Germany.Rossi’s six goals saw him clinch the Golden Boot as the top goalscorer and the Golden Ball for player of the tournament.

Diego Maradona, Argentina – 1986

Captain Diego Maradona led by example in 1986 as he helped Argentina win their second World Cup in the Mexico showpiece. A first goal came against Italy in a 1-1 draw to help Argentina win the group.

In the quarter-finals, he scored twice to eliminate England 2-1. The first was the infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal – when Maradona punched the ball past Peter Shilton – but the second is regarded as one of the best World Cup strikes of all time, as he picked up the ball inside his own half, before producing an incredible, weaving run through the England defence and beating Shilton.

He followed that with two more stunning goals in the 2-0 semi-final win over Belgium, and was then instrumental in the dramatic 3-2 final win over West Germany.

With five goals and five assists to his name, Maradona was a runaway winner of the Golden Ball for being the competition’s best player.

Zinedine Zidane, France – 1998

Skilful midfielder Zinedine Zidane was the poster boy for France’s 1998 World Cup, which they hosted.He made a great start with an assist for his country’s first goal of the tournament, scored by Christophe Dugarry in a 3-0 win over South Africa.

Zidane was then instrumental as they took the lead against Saudi Arabia, but later sent off in the 4-0 win and missed France’s third group game against Denmark, as well as the nervy 1-0 extra-time victory over Paraguay in the last 16.

But he returned in style, scoring in the penalty shootout to see off Italy in the quarter-finals and then helping his side to a 2-1 semi-final win over Croatia.In the final, Zidane scored two headers in a 3-0 win over Brazil, and his performances earned him a place in the team of the tournament. Two years later, he was named the best player at Euro 2000, which France also won.

Ronaldo, Brazil – 2002

That 1998 final was expected to be the greatest moment for Brazil striker Ronaldo. However, he suffered a seizure before the match and was originally not named in the line-up – only to then start, but fail to make an impact in a 3-0 loss to France.

A serious knee injury in 1999 threatened to end his career, but what followed was one of football’s greatest comeback stories. In the 2002 tournament in South Korea and Japan, Ronaldo was sensational as he put his nightmare of four years earlier behind him, with eight goals in seven matches.

He got four goals in the three group matches – one in a 2-1 win over Turkey, another in a 4-0 thrashing of China and two in an easy 5-2 win over Costa Rica. Then came one in the 2-0 last-16 victory over Belgium, the only goal in the 1-0 semi-final success against Turkey and both in the 2-0 win over Germany in the final.Ronaldo ended up as top goalscorer and no player has scored more in a World Cup since, although both Messi and Mbappe remain in contention to do that this year. (BBC Sports)

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New Zealand elect to bowl first at Eden Gardens

Published

6 hours ago

2026/03/4

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The T20 World Cup trophy on display [Cricinfo]

New Zealand won the toss and elected to bowl first in the first semi-final at Eden Gardens

New Zealand: Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (capt), James Neesham, Cole McConchie, Matt Henry, 11 Lockie Ferguson

South Africa: Aiden Markram (capt), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi

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South Africa strong favourites as quest for elusive silverware hots up

Published

8 hours ago

2026/03/4

Priyan

Mitchell Santner and Aiden Markram have a laugh ahead of the teams' group-stage encounter [Cricinfo]

The good thing about South Africa – New Zealand semi-finals is it gives neutrals at least one team to cheer for in the final. Two generally likeable sides who have – somehow – yet to lift an ICC white-ball trophy between them since 2000 vie for yet one more crack at it, as they look to edge each other out. South Afria’s heartache c in these tournaments is well-documented, but New Zealand make semi finals more consistently than any other side over the past two decades, and are yet to string the two matches together from this stage onwards that would propel them to glory.

There is, often, little to choose between these two but, this time around, a clear favourite has emerged. South Africa are unbeaten this tournament, and that includes a trouncing, of New Zealand in the group stages. They have played all their games in India, which has allowed them to make full use of their fast bowlers without needing to turn to spin in any extensive way, which plays into their strengths.

With 268 runs at a strike rate of 175, captain Aiden Markram has been arguably the best opener in the tournament, while a middle- and lower-order comprising Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs and Marco Jansen is the envy of any side in the competition. In Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi – the highest wicket-taker remaining in the tournament – they have high pace as well as great variety, with Keshav Maharaj getting through the spin overs. It is hard to imagine how South Africa could have covered all bases more comprehensively.

New Zealand’s campaign has proved much less straightforward, and it is harder to gauge the true nature of their quality and their ability to contend for this title. They beat Afghanistan, Canada and the UAE through the group stages, before a washout against Pakistan and defeat to England left them relying on an external result to qualify. They owe their place in the last four to a commanding win over Sri Lanka, one which had its own hiccups along the way.

They have had to adjust, though, playing their group matches in India before going off to Sri Lanka for the Super Eight. They are back in India again, with Kolkata the venue for the semi-final, which will likely see them pull back their use of spin and turn to the quicker bowlers again. Their strength is a gun top-order, with Finn Allen and Tim Seifert in consistently explosive form, and great flexibility with the ball thanks to a surfeit of allrounders, a deep batting order, and fast bowlers than can neatly blend back into the side for spinners without disrupting the balance of the line-up.

Both sides have been knocking on the door for silverware for long enough. Once more, they chip away at it in the hope that this time, their efforts will be enough to blow the house down.

Rachin Ravindra was the stand out player in Lahore last year, the last time these two sides met in an ICC semi-final at the 2025 Champions Trophy. He scored a century that set New Zealand on its way before keeping things tight with the ball. At this tournament, he played a central two-in-one role for New Zealand in the Super Eight in Colombo where the ball gripped and stopped, but on the flatter strips of Eden Gardens it is with the bat that he will be more important to New Zealand. Ravindra has a phenomenally good ICC record, but at this tournament, his batting hasn’t quite clicked in the same way. All that can be put to rest facing a team against whom he has enjoyed big-match success.

Aiden Markram has towered over almost any other batter at this tournament, and is the highest run-scorer among sides still alive. He saved his best innings for the game against New Zealand in the groups, pulverising an unbeaten 86 off 44 to seal a comfortable win. It is one of three destructive half-centuries he has scored at this World Cup. His clean aerial hitting through the powerplay has proven almost impossible to counter for bowlers when in this kind of form, especially if he cannot be snared early, as India and Zimbabwe recently managed. Markram has also demonstrated his ability to rise to the biggest of occasions, as evidenced by his fourth innings hundred in the World Test Championship final against Australia last year. A semi-final here is unlikely to overawe him.

Matt Henry arrives in Kolkata tonight after returning home for the birth of his second child. He will not train, but is likely to line up in the XI on Wednesday. With New Zealand returning to the less spin-friendly India, Ish Sodhi might make way for Jimmy Neesham.

New Zealand: Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (capt), Cole McConchie/Jacob Duffy, Jimmy Neesham, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson

South Africa’s top seven is set in stone. On a pitch as flat as Kolkata’s, they are unlikely to go with any more than one spinner.

South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram (capt), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi

[Cricinfo]

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Perera, Sugandika, Ranaweera take Sri Lanka to T20I series win over West Indies

Published

15 hours ago

2026/03/4

Priyan

File photo: Hasini Perera recorded her second T20I half-century

Opener Hasini Perera’s second T20I fifty, on the back of two wickets apiece by left-arm spinners Sugandika Kumari and Inoka Ranaweera, capped off another strong effort by Sri Lanka as they beat West Indies by nine wickets to seal the three-match T20I series 2-0.

Captain Chamari Athapaththu won the toss and elected to field in Grenada, and much like in the second T20I, the spinners strangled the West Indies batters. Sugandika was introduced into the attack in the third over and she struck with her third ball, nipping out Hayley Matthews, caught and bowled for 8.

Ranaweera then struck with her second ball, prising out Shawnisha Hector, before Sugandika picked up a third wicket in the powerplay in the form of Eboni Brathwaite. Deandra Dottin struck three fours in her first ten balls as West Indies ended the powerplay on a high but slowed down spectacularly after that, only managing 28 off 39 balls as West Indies added just 34 runs in the ten overs after the end of the powerplay.

Ranaweera finished her frugal four-over spell by trapping Dottin lbw, and four balls later, Kavisha Dilhari cleaned up the other set batter, Stafanie Taylor, for 24.

At 83 for 5 after 18 overs, West Indies were in danger of falling short of 100 but Chinelle Henry gave the innings much-needed impetus, smashing an unbeaten 32 off 15 and helping them take 36 runs off the last two overs. Despite the late onslaught, West Indies finished on a below-par 119 for 5.

In reply, Athapaththu raced away again, crashing four fours in the first three overs with Sri Lanka going at nearly ten an over. Sri Lanka added 48 runs in the powerplay without losing a wicket and while Athapaththu fell soon after for a 22-ball 32 to Afy Fletcher, she had set a solid platform.

With the required rate less than six an over, Perera and Imesha Dulani focused more on rotating the strike, putting together an unbroken 72-run stand for the second wicket off 64 balls. Perera took 58 balls to reach her fifty before Dulani finished the match and the series by striking a four off Matthews. Sri Lanka won the game with 14 balls to spare, making it a double success for them, having earlier won the ODIs 2-1.

Brief scores:
Sri Lanka Women 121 for 1 in 17.4 overs (Hasini Perera 52*, Imesha Dulani 34*, Chamari Athapaththu 3; Afy Fletcher 1-14) beat West Indies omen 119 for 5 in 20 overs (Stafnie Taylor 24, Deandra Dottin 28, Chinelle Henry 32*; Inoka Ranaweera 2-16, Sugandika Kumari 2-32, Kavisha Dilhari 1-13) by nine wickets

[Cricinfo]