At the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Kylian Mbappé won the Golden Boot with 8 goals, scored a sensational hat-trick in the final against Argentina, and set a tournament record as the all-time leading scorer in World Cup finals with 4 career goals
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar achieved massive global popularity due to its highly dramatic narrative—culminating in Lionel Messi winning his first World Cup in arguably the greatest final ever played—a historic Cinderella run by Morocco, and the compact tournament format that allowed fans to attend multiple matches
The Messi-Ronaldo Era Climax: The event acted as the high-stakes climax of a generational rivalry. It was viewed as the last realistic opportunity for both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to capture soccer's ultimate prize, driving intense global viewership and emotional investment.