The GIST: The legendary Lionel Messi and No. 3 Argentina are your 2022 FIFA men’s World Cup champions after taking down Golden Boot winner Kylian Mbappé and No. 4 France yesterday in perhaps the greatest sporting event ever. Couldn’t have written a better ending.

How it happened: With a 2–0 lead and less than 11 minutes to go in regulation, it seemed as if Argentina would sail to the title. But Mbappé took matters into his own feet, er, hands, scoring twice in under two minutes to send things to extra time.

• That’s where both squads’ brightest stars traded late goals, with Messi netting what looked like the game-winner before Mbappé equalized, notching the first men’s World Cup final hat trick since 1966 to force anxiety-inducing penalty kicks (PKs).

• It wasn’t too stressful for Argentina keeper Emiliano Martínez, though. He danced his way to a clutch save before Gonzalo Montiel netted the game-sealing PK to secure Argentina their third World Cup title and their first in 36 years. What a moment.

The significance: Yesterday marked Messi’s record-setting 26th and final men’s World Cup appearance, and he celebrated by nabbing the trophy that eluded him in his four previous tournaments. He also won the Golden Ball (aka tourney MVP), becoming the first man to do so twice. Consider that GOAT “debate” settled.

Off the field recap: As thrilling as yesterday’s action was, the confetti and fireworks can’t cover up Qatar’s atrocious human rights abuses in the lead up to and throughout the tournament. From quelling player protests to ignoring the deaths of migrant workers, Qatar and FIFA need to pay up and do better.

What’s next: FIFA will have a chance to do just that when the women’s World Cup kicks off from Australia and New Zealand in just 213 days. Not like we’re counting…

The GIST: Mercury’s not in retrograde just yet, which means this weekend of absolutely weird football is truly inexplicable.

Call it a comeback: “Call an ambulance, but not for us,” the Minnesota Vikings, probably. The Vikes were down 33–0 to the Indianapolis Colts at halftime on Saturday, but scored five touchdowns in the second half to force overtime, where they ultimately won 39–36, pulling off the biggest comeback in NFL history.

• To add to their celebration, Minnesota also clinched the NFC North title and with it a postseason berth. Speaking of…

Punching their tickets: The Buffalo Bills are also playoff bound after a blizzard-conditions 32–29 Saturday win over the Miami Dolphins. Bills Mafia was in peak form, with fans tossing snowballs at the Dolphins, which earned a penalty warning from the refs.

• They’ll be joined in the postseason by the Kansas City Chiefs, who took home their seventh straight AFC West title with an unexpectedly close 30–24 overtime win over the Houston Texans yesterday. Nothing like that quarterback (QB) Patrick Mahomes magic.

• Despite their 40–34 overtime loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Dallas Cowboys locked in their playoff berth due to the NFL tiebreaker rules.

Oh no no no: You have to see it to believe it. With the game tied at 24 apiece and heading to overtime, the New England Patriots majorly misfired against the Las Vegas Raiders.

• Wide receiver Jakobi Meyers tried to play hero, but instead tossed a lateral pass that was caught by Raiders’ defensive end Chandler Jones, who ran for a game-ending touchdown in Las Vegas’ 30–24 win. Unbelievable.

🏈 NFL: Say cheese

For the fourth time in school history, the No. 1 Texas Longhorns are national champions, capping off a dominant one-loss season by sweeping the No. 1 Louisville Cardinals 3-0 in front of a sold-out crowd on Saturday. AVCA National Player of the Year Logan Eggleston dazzled, notching 19 kills. Rally nice.

On Friday, in her first Instagram post since being released from her wrongful detainment in Russia, Brittney Griner announced that she’s committed to returning to the Phoenix Mercury when the upcoming WNBA season tips off in May. The news we were all hoping for.

The weather outside may be frightful, but Jessie Diggins notching her 14th cross country World Cup gold yesterday and becoming the most decorated American cross country skier was certainly delightful.

• Beloved Olympian Mikaela Shiffrin also slid to World Cup success, topping her 77th podium in yesterday’s super-G competition, putting her just five wins away from tying the legendary Lindsey Vonn’s record.

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