2022 World Cup

Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Got the bug?​

Argentina v France (15:00 GMT)

This week, the French squad was hit by illness, with Adrien Rabiot and Dayot Upamecano missing the semi-final win over Morocco and then Raphael Varane, Ibrahima Konate and Kingsley Coman all absent from training on Friday.

So that's the two first-choice centre-backs and the man who you'd think would step in all struggling.

It's not quite as dramatic as the situation involving Brazil's Ronaldo ahead of the 1998 final against France, but it does evoke memories of a nation being potentially compromised by a key fitness issue ahead of the big one.

 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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France to join illustrious list?​

Argentina v France (15:00 GMT)

Only two sides (Italy in 1934 and 1938) and Brazil (1958 and 1962) have won back-to-back World Cups.

Just 20 players have won more than one World Cup, with Brazil's Pele winning three.

France are looking to join that list today after their 2018 triumph over Croatia.

They also have 10 players - Hugo Lloris, Benjamin Pavard, Raphael Varane, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe, Oliver Giroud, Ousmane Dembele, Steve Mandana, Lucas Hernandez, Karim Benzema (yes, he still gets a medal this year) - who could become multi-winners.

 
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Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Just one thing missing...​

Argentina v France (15:00 GMT)

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You may not feel he is THE greatest, but you surely cannot doubt that Lionel Messi is indeed great?

In his stunning career, spent largely at Barcelona but now at PSG, the Argentine forward has won 11 league titles (10 at Barca), the Champions League four times and numerous other trophies. He has almost 700 club goals to his name and seven Ballon d'Ors in his possession.

For Argentina, he has scored more goals than anyone else (96 in 171 caps) and helped them win the Copa America last year.

A World Cup would be the cherry on the top of a pretty magnificent cake.

 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Taking the torch...​

Argentina v France (15:00 GMT)

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Kylian Mbappe has just the four league titles to his name so far. And he's not won the Champions League at all. At 23 too! I don't know how he dare show his face in public.

In his club career to date, he has 217 goals in 297 games. Not too shabby.

In international football, though, he already has the one big title - a World Cup winners medal from 2018 - along with a Nations League crown from 2020-21.

This final does feel somewhat like a passing of the torch. Messi handing over to Mbappe to carry the tag of possibly the world's best forward into the future.

Every great sportsman needs a rival, though - someone to drive them to heights they may otherwise not achieve. Messi had Cristiano Ronaldo. Who is going to Mbappe's nemesis? Erling Haaland?

 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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It's nearly 2:30pm on a freezing Sunday afternoon and I'm still in bed, nice and warm and snuggly. I will get up soon, grab a beer from the fridge, put the TV on and watch the World Cup Final - with my Christmas tree and decorations up, which is weird. And I'm not in work until Wednesday 28th December. This is the life.
 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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'Much less relaxed this time'​

Argentina v France (15:00 GMT)

Hugh Schofield

BBC News, Paris

The atmosphere is hotting up in Le Petit Poucet (The Little Thumb) bar-restaurant on the Place de Clichy, as waiters clear away lunch and fans settle in for the match with a few post-prandial drinks. Plenty of tricolours and a Griezmann shirt or three.

Fanny, 27, is getting nervous: "We’re much less relaxed this time round than four years ago. Argentina is a country that lives for football, and they’ve got Messi!

"France has to play together as a group. That’s the only way."

Damien, 32, says: "There is so much support for Messi and Argentina around the world, this could work against us.

Even in the stadium, our supporters will be vastly outnumbered.

"But luckily our players have plenty of experience of huge marches like this.It’ll be tight."

Both predict a 2-1 win for France.

 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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If France win the World Cup today, Didier Deschamps will be the first coach to win back to back World Cups since 1938. Deschamps also won the World Cup as a player in 1998.
 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Lose the opening game and win the trophy?​

Argentina v France (15:00 GMT)

Having lost 2-1 to Saudi Arabia on MD1, Argentina could become the second side in World Cup history to lose their opening game of an edition and go on to lift the trophy, after Spain in 2010.

In 2010, Spain were beaten 1-0 by Switzerland, Gelson Fernandes scoring the goal.

With Argentina losing 2-1 to Saudi Arabia and France losing 1-0 to Tunisia in their respective groups, this will be only the second World Cup final where both finalists had lost a match en route to the showpiece. The other came in 1978 – when Argentina won the trophy after beating Netherlands 3-1 in the final, both having lost once each in their first round groups.

 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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France making a habit of reaching the final​

Argentina v France (15:00 GMT)

Argentina are competing in their sixth World Cup final, with only Germany (8) participating in more. They're looking to win the trophy for a third time along with 1978 and 1986, but defeat would see them with the joint-most World Cup final losses in history (4, level with Germany).

France have reached the World Cup final for a fourth time, all since 1998 (1998, 2006, 2018, 2022). This is twice as many as any other nation in this period. Les Bleus, the reigning champions, are looking to become only the third nation to win back-to-back World Cups, after Italy (1934 and 1938) and Brazil (1958 and 1962).

 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Argentina v France (15:00 GMT)

The World Cup trophy itself has just been delivered to the centre of the pitch.

Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone and ex-Spain keeper Iker Casillas with the honour.


The teams are about to come out on the pitch. The biggest game in football is minutes away from starting.

Here we go!
 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Argentina looking the most dangerous in the opening 10 minutes.

France goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris is down injured after a collision with Romero.
 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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GOAL!

ARGENTINA 1-0 FRANCE

Messi (p) 22 mins

Messi buries the penalty to give his country a deserved lead in the World Cup Final. They've been much the better side.
 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Argentina 1-0 France



Andy Cryer

BBC Sport in Qatar

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Nothing more than Argentina have deserved.

And what a noise. Lionel Messi has just opened the scoring in a World Cup final and the Argentina fans are absolutely loving it.


Argentina are completely dominant. France just haven't turned up. They just can't get the ball. Remember, France only beat England in the Quarter Final thanks to favourable refereeing decisions.
 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Goal!

Argentina 2-0 France

Di Maria with a beauty after 35 minutes.

After their shock opening 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia, Argentina are on their way to winning the World Cup.

Di Maria looks like he's crying tears of happiness.
 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Oct 9, 2004
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The Qataris have announced that they have shut the Doha metro station due to so many delirious Argentina fans trying to get to the stadium.

The second half kicks off.
 
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