The 2022 Fifa World Cup has come and gone with Argentina and their talisman Lionel Messi crowned champions after a dramatic final against France decided on penalties at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar on Sunday.

After what was one of the best World Cup tournaments, we picked five lessons we learned from the tournament that produced exhilarating football played in the shadow of controversy around the host nation.

Lionel Messi is GOAT

The boy from Rosario came into the tournament with his trophy cabinet overflowing with seven Ballons d’Or, four Champions League titles and a Copa America among trophies he racked up during his stellar career.

Though he has been successful at club level, where he enjoyed a glittering career, the greatest prize of all - the World Cup - always eluded Messi, but on Sunday he was elevated to the pantheon of the game with Diego Maradona and Pelé.

Kylian Mbappé is the heir apparent

It was sad to see a player who scored a hat-trick in a thrilling World Cup final end up on the losing side.

The 23-year-old Mbappé, who has 12 goals in two World Cups and ended with the Golden Boot for his eight goals in Qatar, is definitely the player who will take over from Messi as the sport’s global superstar.

You have to show faith in young players

There is no doubt the future of football is in good hands, given the exceptional displays of most of the young players who were given opportunities at the tournament.

Enzo Fernandez, 21, was named Best Young Player but he was not the only young player to shine as England's Jude Bellingham, 19, Croatia's Josko Gvardiol, 20, and Aurélien Tchouameni, 22, of France also impressed.

There were also notable performances by Eduardo Camavinga, 20, of France, Germany's Jamal Musiala, 19, England’s Bukayo Saka, 21, Spain’s Pedri, 20, and Brazil’s Vinicius Jnr, 22.

Africa is improving

Ghana, Senegal, Cameroon and Tunisia disappointed but Morocco captured the imagination of the World Cup with solid performances from players like Sofyan Amrabat, Achraf Hakimi, Hakim Ziyech and Azzedine Ounahi.

The Atlas Lions became first African team to make it to the semifinal stage of the tournament and they returned to Rabat to a hero’s welcome as they finished fourth after losing to Croatia after the third and fourth play-off match.

Politics will always be part of football

This tournament was played on the backdrop of intense criticism of the Qatari regime, who were been blamed for the deaths hundreds of migrant workers, high intolerance to homosexuality and restricting women’s rights.

It is hoped the limelight that was put firmly on the social issues in the country will lead to the regime improving how they treat migrant workers, softening their stance on the LGBTQI community and giving women full human rights.