This time last year, Aymeric Laporte was sharing a dressing room with Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr. On Sunday, the Spain defender found Ronaldo’s great generational rival Lionel Messi standing between his team and a World Cup trophy.
In an attritional, physical FIFA World Cup final, Argentina did everything it could to thwart Spain’s fluid attacking approach, with La Albiceleste hoping its long-time talisman Messi could conjure a magic moment.
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But against a Spain defense marshalled by Laporte, there was no way through for Messi or his team-mates at the New York New Jersey Stadium. Feran Torres’ extra-time goal handed Spain a famous 1-0 win and delivered the nation’s second world title.
For Laporte, it completed a remarkable personal journey to the summit of international football via two years playing in the Saudi Pro League – and provided a rare intersection with the careers of the two greatest players of the modern era.
