HELPING HAND
Fans convinced Mbappe’s hat-trick goal against Argentina should NOT have stood after France handball in build-up
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FANS are convinced Kylian Mbappe's hat-trick goal in the World Cup final against Argentina should NOT have stood.
The Frenchman, 23, had another standout night on the biggest stage.
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He dragged France from the jaws of defeat with ten minutes to go, bagging a brace to force the game to extra-time.
Lionel Messi then restored Argentina's lead, but a late penalty allowed Mbappe to complete his hat-trick.
The Paris Saint-Germain ace made no mistake with his second penalty of the night, tying the game up at 3-3 after 120 minutes.
Mbappe became the second-ever player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final, following on from England hero, Sir Geoff Hurst.
He also dispatched his penalty in the nail-biting shootout.
But team-mates Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni couldn't hold their nerve and Argentina were crowned world champions with a 4-2 shootout win.
However, eagle-eyed fans are claiming that Mbappe's hat-trick goal should NOT have stood due to a handball from Dayot Upamecano in the build-up.
The ball appeared to strike Upamecano's raised hand from a Coman corner before it fell to Mbappe.
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Mbappe then shifted the ball onto his favoured right foot and sent a stinging effort goal-bound, which Gonzalo Montiel blocked with his hand, conceding the penalty.
One fan declared: "I never want to hear a claim that Argentina didn’t deserve to win again.
"This blatant handball was right before Mbappe’s shot that led to his penalty in the 117th minute. It should never have stood."
Another said: "How did no one spot that at the time? Incredible."
Mbappe's third goal won him the World Cup Golden Boot - which has outraged Messi fans.
Messi would've scooped the award to go alongside the World Cup and his Golden Ball award.
A Messi fan said: "They robbed Messi's Golden Boot."
However, fans also claim Messi's second goal should have been disallowed.
It initially appeared that the effort might be ruled out for offside, when the linesman momentarily raised his flag.
But when TV pictures confirmed Martinez had in fact been onside in the build-up, the goal, which was nearly cleared off the line by defender Jules Kounde, was allowed to stand.
Watching a wide angle of the goal back, however, some fans believe that it SHOULD have been chalked off.
In a snap posted to Twitter, two Argentina substitutes could be seen on the pitch as Messi took the shot.
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Their hasty celebrations meant that their side had 13 players on the field.
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