Brazil icon Pele sent a wholesome message of congratulations to Lionel Messi and Argentina after their World Cup final success.

After Messi helped fire the South American side to a penalty shootout win against France, the former Selecao star took to Instagram to heap praise on the hero of the tournament. Pele said that the late Argentina legend Diego Maradona would be proud of his country's achievements and he also had a sympathetic message for France talisman Kylian Mbappe, who became only the second man to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final and also netted from 12 yards in the shootout.

"Today, football continues to tell its story, as always, in an enthralling way," Pele wrote on Instagram. "Messi winning his first World Cup, as his trajectory deserved. My dear friend, Mbappe, scoring four goals in a final. What a gift it was to watch this spectacle to the future of our sport. And I couldn't fail to congratulate Morocco for the incredible campaign. It's great to see Africa shine. Congratulations Argentina! Certainly Diego is smiling now."

Mbappe and Pele have developed a bond in recent months. During the competition, Mbappe broke Pele's record as the youngest player to score nine goals in the tournament. Afterwards, the Brazilian congratulated him and said he was happy that he took his record.

Source: GOAL

BDST: 1257 HRS, DEC 19, 2022
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