Argentina are the 2022 World Cup winners after Lionel Messi inspired a dramatic win over France. But who joined the Paris Saint-Germain forward among the best strikers in Qatar?
Messi became the first player to win the Golden Ball twice after guiding La Albiceleste to a third FIFA title. The iconic forward finally lifted the global trophy at the fifth attempt in his final appearance. He had previously won the Golden Ball in 2014 but they lost in the final.
Boss Lionel Scaloni relied on Messi to guide Argentina to glory and add to their titles from 1978 and 1986. But Kylian Mbappe almost scuppered their hopes as the France forward hit only the second-ever hat-trick in a World Cup final after England icon Geoff Hurst in 1966.
Mbappe single-handedly dragged France back into the final after a 23rd-minute penalty by Messi and Angel Di Maria (36’) scored to give Argentina a 2-0 lead. The Bleus talisman hit a penalty of his own on 80 minutes before then flashing a shot home to equalise in the 81st.
Messi would restore Argentina’s lead in the 108th before Mbappe again struck home from the spot in the 118th minute. So, the final went to penalties but La Albiceleste emerged as the victors. Emiliano Martinez denied Kingsley Coman before Aurelian Tchouameni missed.
Who were the best strikers at the 2022 World Cup for goals?
Mbappe joining Hurst in a very exclusive group by scoring the second-ever hat-trick in the World Cup final also returned the France forward the Golden Boot. He eclipsed Messi for the gong with eight goals to the Argentine’s seven. No other player netted more than four.
A total of 681 players featured at least once during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, including 152 forwards. There were also 211 defenders, 42 goalkeepers and 276 midfielders as FIFA allowed 26-man squads. It increased its limit on squads from 23 for the first winter edition.
The increase in squad sizes saw 77 more players feature at Qatar 2022 than the 604 who appeared at Russia 2018. There were also 128 forwards at the World Cup four years ago to 41 goalkeepers, 196 defenders and 239 midfielders across the 32 countries that qualified.
Among the 152 forwards at Qatar 2022, Mbappe (8) and Messi (7) were the clear best for World Cup goals by strikers. Olivier Giroud and Julian Alvarez finished in a tie for third with four goals each. Although neither of the French and Argentina forwards netted in the final.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Brazil star Richarlison was also among the best strikers over the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He fired home three goals, just as Ecuador’s Enner Valencia, Spain star Alvaro Morata and Portugal ace Goncalo Ramos also registered through their appearances.
A total of 14 strikers – including Chelsea’s Germany ace Kai Havertz, Tottenham’s England captain Harry Kane and Fulham’s Serbia star Aleksandar Mitrovic – scored two goals. While a further 36 forwards – including Watford’s Ismaila Sarr of Senegal – scored one goal each.
Messi and Mbappe were by far the most productive strikers at the World Cup
Messi and Mbappe were by far the most productive strikers at the World Cup, as well as the best goalscorers. Per SofaScore, the Argentina icon directed 32 shots on goal to the French forward’s 31. Giroud, meanwhile, ranked in third place among the 152 forwards with 16.
Naturally, then, Messi (18) and Mbappe (14) also had the most shots on target. Alvarez of Manchester City ranked third in this category with eight. Giroud slipped to fifth with six – level with Kane. Brazil’s Neymar, who scored twice, was fourth with seven shots on target.
Spain forward Dani Olmo also directed six of his shots on target. While Ramos was one of six forwards to hit the target five times with Morata, the USA’s Christian Pulisic, Memphis Depay of the Netherlands and South Korea attackers Gue-Sung Cho and Hee-Chan Hwang.
Yet despite Alvarez directing the third-most shots on target among all strikers at the 2022 World Cup, the 22-year-old only ranked joint-ninth for his total volume of shots with 11. Fellow Argentine Lautaro Martinez, who failed to score, took the fourth-most shots (14).
Kane ranked fifth for his total volume of shots taken with 12, level with Poland’s Robert Lewandowski, Spain’s Olmo and Brazil’s Neymar. Portugal icon Cristiano Ronaldo was also one of the four players to attempt 11 with his compatriot Joao Felix plus Alvarez and Sarr.
Who were the best strikers for goal conversion rates among the top shooters?
Alvarez, then, produced the best goal conversion rate among the top strikers for shots at the 2022 World Cup. Netting four goals from 11 attempts, with eight on target, returned the Manchester City attacker a conversion rate of 36%. Messi only had a 22% success rate.
Mbappe won the Golden Boot for Qatar 2022 with eight goals from 31 shots, returning a 26% conversion rate. Giroud ranks just behind his compatriot at 25% after he netted four goals from 16 shots. Argentina’s Martinez was the clear worst after failing to score at all.
Olmo, meanwhile, only had an 8% conversion rate with one goal to trail Ronaldo, Felix and Sarr’s 9%. Kane, Lewandowski and Neymar all produced conversion rates of 16.5% as they hit two goals each from 12 shots. But Lewandowski scored twice from four shots on target.
Messi, Kane and Griezmann helped to pull the strings in their respective sides
Messi, Kane and Antoine Griezmann also helped to pull the strings in their respective sides at Qatar 2022. The trio recorded the most assists among all forwards at this winter’s World Cup with three. Mbappe was one of eight forwards to lay on two assists over France’s run.
Ousmane Dembele and Marcus Thuram also helped France make the final with two assists. While Phil Foden carved out two for England and so did Dusan Tadic for Serbia, Pulisic with the USA, Felix for Portugal and Vinicius Jr for Brazil. Just 22 forwards also laid on an assist.
Arsenal could look fondly on Thuram playing a creative role in France’s World Cup run. The Gunners are interested in a deal for the 25-year-old, according to Milan Live. Reports from Sport Bild also suggest Borussia Monchengladbach could sell Thuram for only €7m (£6m).
The son of France icon Lilian Thuram may be available on the cheap in 2023 as his contract expires in June. So, clubs could look fondly on a player who showed his attacking ability on the World Cup stage after already netting 10 goals in his 15 Bundesliga outings this season.
Who were the most fouled forwards at Qatar 2022?
Along with helping Argentina win the World Cup with the second-most goals overall and a hand in a further three, Messi was the most fouled striker at Qatar 2022. Referees stopped play 22 times for fouls on the Paris Saint-Germain star. Senegal’s Sarr was second with 17.
Yet Senegal only made the last 16 before losing 3-0 to England in their fourth fixture at the tournament. Brazil also only made the quarter-finals before losing on penalties to Croatia. Yet Neymar still ranked third among all forwards with his number of times fouled with 16.
Morocco, meanwhile, became the first African side to feature in the semi-finals and went on to lose to Croatia in the third-place play-off. Yet Sofiane Boufal only ranked fourth for the number of times he was fouled with 14 – ahead of Switzerland dynamo Breel Embolo (12).
Referees stopped play for fouls on Mexico forward Hirving Lozano, the USA’s Pulisic, Joel Campbell of Costa Rica and Croatia’s Bruno Petkovic 11 times. While Jack Grealish won 10 fouls for England, despite the Manchester City man only playing 80 minutes over five ties.
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