Qatar World Cup 2022 Argentina vs France: Predictions, team news, XI
The final is here and it’s set to be a dazzling finale to a World Cup full of surprises and upsets and incredible football.
Sunday afternoon will see Argentina and reigning champions France battle it out for glory at the Lusail Iconic Stadium in what promises to be a mouth-watering final.
France will step out onto the pitch looking to win back-to-back World Cups and with statistics on their side, we will see a determined and confident France.
But with Lionel Messi – the greatest footballer of all time – Argentina won’t be an easy team to beat.
Argentina vs France match preview
Argentina’s Lionel Messi has been the focus of much of this world cup, as his skill and magic has been front and centre of much of the tournament. Since announcing that Sunday’s final will be his last match for the national squad, many football fans around the globe are backing Argentina to win. A great way for the world’s greatest player to sign off from international duty.
But Messi – the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, will not be able to carry the team alone like he has done in previous games. France will be looking to disrupt Messi’s game from early on, so Argentina must play together and not rely solely on Messi.
This is the biggest sporting event on the globe, and there will be no room for error.
France got off to a shaky start even before boarding the flight to Qatar. A myriad of injuries to key players, controversies off the field and almost being relegated from the Nations League, meant few in France expected to see their team get to the final.
France have shown, like Argentina, their game hinges on key players. For les Blues, it’s Kylian Mbappe. But as the England game proved, he can be contained. France faced a few scares against a ferocious Morocco side, but the team eventually prevailed.
It was France’s first clean sheet of the tournament and they will be looking to follow Italy and Brazil in becoming just the third nation to win back-to-back World Cups.
France hasn’t lost to a South American team since 1978 in the World Cup, but its last loss was against Argentina.
This World Cup has been full of shocks and footballing upsets. Fans around the world will have enjoyed seeing teams such as Morocco and Japan – the underdogs- beat top-tier teams on football’s biggest stage.
However, the country’s issues around migrant worker deaths, the treatment of the LGBTQ community and other human rights concerns means a dark cloud will forever hang over the Qatar World Cup – with many accepting the country should never have been awarded the competition.
Argentina Team news
Marcos Acuna and Gonzalo Montiel will be available, after missing the semi-finals due to suspension.
Nahuel Molina is surely set to be on the right, and Acuna will likely replace Nicolas Tagliafico’s place in a four-man backline.
The Argentina boss only has one injury doubt – Alejandro Gomez – who is not fully over his ankle sprain and may be benched.
Messi will start – and become the outright record-holder for World Cup appearances with 26 and a slight tweak could see Angel Di Maria join him.
If Di Maria can prove his fitness, Leandro Paredes will have to make way. Paulo Dybala and Lautaro Martinez will aim to improve their output as impact subs once more.
France team news
Dayot Upamecano and Adrien Rabiot became the latest victims of the constant air conditioning in Qatar – many players have got sick during their time in the tournament.
Kingsley Coman was also ill before the semis and Raphael Varane and Ibrahima Konate have reportedly joined him in the sick bay.
But all five players are said to have trained over the weekend, but the team will need to wait for the doctors to give the last-minute approval.
Rabiot and Upamecano are said to be better and likely to start in the XI. The former can expect to slot straight back in for Youssouf Fofana in the middle, but Deschamps is facing more of a quandary at the back.
Konte earned high praise for his performance against Morroco but is said to be ill, so Deschamps will still be expected to bring Upamecano back in the mix.
Theo Hernandez is set to start in left-back, and France’s wonder kid Kylian Mbappe is a no doubt for the starting XI. Mbappe and Messi will battle it out for the Golden Boot – both of five goals this tournament.
Argentina possible starting lineup:
E. Martinez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Acuna; De Paul, Fernandez, Mac Allister; Di Maria, Messi, Alvarez
France possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Kounde, Varane, Upamecano, T. Hernandez; Tchouameni, Rabiot; Dembele, Griezmann, Mbappe; Giroud
When is Argentina vs France?
The game is scheduled to kick off at 3pm GMT (7pm local time) on Sunday 18 December.
The final will take place at the Lusail Stadium in Doha, Qatar.
How can I watch it?
The game will be shown live and free-to-air in the UK on BBC One, ITV 1 and STV 1.
You can watch a live stream on the BBC iPlayer, ITV X and STV Player, while the BBC Sport and ITV websites will also provide a live stream.
Predictions
Mbappe vs. Messi. Fernandez vs. Tchouameni. Griezmann vs. Mac Allister. Countless individual battles should decide the destiny of the World Cup in a final where goals are surely a guarantee.
Deschamps’s illness-affected men have rarely managed to find that perfect defensive formula in Qatar and could very well have come out on the wrong end of the scoreline against Morocco on another day, but their penchant for rapid-fire counter-attacks should come to the fore regardless.
However, an Argentina side that have only failed to score more than once against Saudi Arabia can expose Les Bleus’ rearguard shortcomings and channel their own defensive acumen in equal measure. Fairytale endings are never a guarantee in football, but viewers around the world can finally expect to witness Messi with both hands on the 18-karat gold trophy. – Argentina 2-1 France – (SportsMole)
This game has just about everything with immense quality all over the pitch and it could come down to a moment of pure genius from any of the world-class talents available to Deschamps and Scaloni. For that reason we’ll side with Messi, a man possessed and surely determined to not let this rare second chance pass him by. He may have to wait until extra-time for his moment, but we’re picking Messi to drag his side to victory once again – Argentina 2-1 France AET.- (Independent)
Two teams with immense talent battle it out – both in many ways relying on a moment of genius from their golden players, Mbappe and Messi. Both sides have world-class talent available, but there is only one Lionel Messi – with determination and his own personal brand of magic, Messi will lift the trophy and close this chapter of his glittering career. Argentina 3-2 France AET (WTX Sport) – MESSI TO SCORE 2.
