World Cup 2018 | From Messi’s agony to Mbappe’s brilliance: Top 5 talking points from France's 4-3 win over Argentina

The great French philosopher and existentialist Jean Paul-Sartre once said quite famously: “Hell is other people.” It’s an emotion Lionel Messi will vehemently agree with right now if the phrase ‘other people’ encapsulated his hapless teammates who were outclassed 4-3 by a brilliant young Les Bleus. Not that Messi had the best game himself. 

The scoreline 4-3 suggests that there was some parity between the two teams but Aguero’s late injury-time goal was just a consolation. France were heads-and-shoulders above their opponents in a game that meant that Messi will most likely end his footballing career without winning the World Cup.

Here are five talking points from France’s 4-3 victory over Argentina:

Mbappe does a Pele

France’s siege was led by the 19-year-old Kylian Mbappe who ran riot and exposed Argentina’s defence. Three of the four goals saw the youngster involved as he drew a penalty early in the first half after being bundled over by a panic-stricken Marcos Rojo, who looked much like a fish out of water when the teenager ran at him.

Rojo hauled him down, and Griezmann, who had struck the post with a free-kick earlier, slotted the penalty coolly home to give Les Bleus the lead.

After the scores were level at 2-2, thanks to a Di Maria super strike, a Mercado deflection and a Pavard shot, Mbappe struck again twice in quick succession to take the game away from Argentina.

The first came after Matuidi’s shot was blocked by Armani, who tucked it underneath the keeper to restore France’s lead. The second came four minutes later in which the France midfield appeared to melt away as the ball found its way to Giroud who played a perfect pass for Mbappe to run into and slot home.

In doing so, Mbappe became only the second teenager after the legendary Pele to score a brace in the knockout stages. Even though he’s only 19, Mbappe looks like the real deal with all the characteristics that are needed for a modern forward – great dribbling skills, a change of pace, trickery and sudden acceleration where he becomes a blur of blue. May this be the beginning of a lovely career.

Di Maria’s piece of magic gives Argentina hope

For the first half an hour, the mere suggestion that Argentina could win this looked a tad optimistic as they were overrun across the field. However, they clawed their way back with a sublime strike by Angel Di Maria.

The PSG winger, who had been poor up till that moment, found himself with the ball 32 yards out and with no French defenders closing him down, launched a furious strike which zipped into the tightest corner to put Argentina back in the game.

Suddenly, out of nowhere it was 1-1 and Argentina still had some hope left going to their dressing rooms after the first half.

Argentina’s Number 9 gamble fails

Argentina have failed to get their tactics right so far at this tournament. They’ve played four different formations in this World Cup and none of them have truly clicked. For this one, Sampaoli, or Messi himself as the grapevine suggests, decided to drop both Aguero and Higuain. Instead Messi played in his favoured false number 9 role without any real striker, a role he had perfected in Barcelona.

However, the system didn’t work, Messi had no one to pass the ball to in the final third and was often forced to come deep to get it. Argentina’s lack of pace in comparison to their French counterparts was clear. As the match wore on, Argentina’s backline and defence became more and more porous. Perhaps, only when Messi retires will the Argentines figure the answer to this basic existential conundrum – what is their best formation?

Poor defending or great attacking?

There was a certain je ne sais quoi – French for indescribable quality – about this match which would have thrilled neutrals and enraged purists. Defending, it appears, is dead in the modern game.

Both teams scored goals with ease and both Di Maria and Pavard’s shots from distance weren’t closed down. Armani’s goalkeeping for Mbappe’s 1^st goal was also below par.

 On the other hand, Mbappe ran through the Argentina defence with ease, as if no one was willing to pull off what the old-timers call a ‘professional foul’ to stop the breezy youngster.

Simply put, the defending, for a game of this class was woeful.

No World Cup glory for Messi

And so it ends for Lionel Messi, who after the match appeared to stare into the middle distance imagining the one that got way. This was his last realistic chance of leading Argentina to a major tournament glory.

Despite all the Ballon D’ors, La Liga medals or Champions League winners’ medals back home, there will be many who will consider his cabinet empty without the World Cup winner’s medal or even the Copa America. And he came quite close, reaching three Copa finals and one World Cup, only to fall at the final hurdle. The only major prize he won with the Argentina squad was an Olympic goal.

And to be fair, in Russia, Argentina hardly ever looked like a squad who could go the distance with their tactics all over the place.

This realisation will only become more bitter knowing that his great rival Ronaldo has picked up an unlikely Euro 2016 winners’ medal with Portugal and is still in the World Cup. Sadly, one of the greatest footballers of our times will have to end his career without football’s ultimate prize. As the French say: “C’est la Vie. Such is life.”