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DOHA. — It all comes down to one last game in Qatar — the holders France against Argentina in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final at the Lusail Stadium. 

With two of the world’s best players in opposition tomorrow, it promises to be an exciting clash for the neutrals, but a nerve-wracking one for fans of the respective finalists.

The match kicks-off at 5pm (Zimbabwean time).

Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina team started their Qatar 2022 campaign with a shock 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia, but 2-0 victories over Mexico and Poland ensured that they qualified as Group C winners. In the knockouts La Albiceleste beat Australia 2-1 in the round of 16, the Netherlands on penalties in the quarter-finals, and Croatia 3-0 in the semi-final. 

Didier Deschamps’s France won their two opening Group D games – 4-1 against Australia and 2-1 against Denmark — and although they lost 1-0 to Tunisia, Les Bleus qualified as group winners. France beat Poland 3-1 in the round of 16, England 2-1 in the quarter-finals, and Morocco 2-0 in the semi-finals. 

Both nations are aiming for their third World Cup win. France were triumphant at Russia 2018 and on home soil in 1998, while Argentina won at Mexico 1986 and on home soil in 1978.

 Argentina’s Lionel Messi and France’s Kylian Mbappé have lit up Qatar 2022 and they will go head-to-head for a possible World Cup triple: winning the trophy, the golden boot for top goalscorer and the golden ball for the tournament’s best player. With five goals apiece, Messi leads the golden boot race having provided three assists compared to Mbappé’s two. 

Rivals on the international stage, the duo are club team-mates at Paris Saint-Germain and form two-thirds of the “M-N-M” attack, along with Brazil’s Neymar. As well as the team trophy and individual awards at stake tomorrow, there’s also the bragging rights for when they return to the French capital. Messi vs Mbappé is the “dream World Cup final” for Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, said Jesús Mata in Spanish newspaper Marca. PSG have been owned by Qatar Sports Investments since 2011.

The final represents different scenarios for the two No.10s. Mbappé (23) is aiming for a second World Cup winners’ medal having starred for Les Bleus in Russia four years ago. 

Meanwhile, Argentina captain Messi (35) has played in five World Cups for his country, but has never won the trophy. Having already broken Argentina’s all-time World Cup goals tally with his 11th, a penalty against Croatia, he is set to add another record this weekend. Barring a late injury, Messi will make history tomorrow by appearing for a men’s record 26th time in the World Cup — in what will be his last World Cup match.

 This World Cup final “could be one for the ages”, said Phil McNulty on BBC Sport. And on the evidence of what we have seen in Qatar so far, “it is too close to call”. The result could even come down to “one moment of genius” from the two players “most likely to provide it”.

TEAM NEWS

Messi looked to have been holding his left hamstring during the semi-final win over Croatia, but the Argentine skipper insisted there was no problem and that he felt “really good”, “strong” and “ready to play each game”. Considering the way Messi “tore” Croatia to shreds, “potentially on one leg”, there’s almost “no chance he would be kept out of the World Cup final”, said Kyle Bonn on The Sporting News. 

Argentina will also hope that winger Angel Di Maria will be fully fit, while full-backs Marcos Acuna and Gonzalo Montiel are both available after suspension.

In the semi-final, France were without midfielder Adrien Rabiot and defender Dayot Upamecano, who sat out the win against Morocco due to illness. They are both expected to be ready. 

There have also been suggestions that Karim Benzema could make a “sensational return” to the France squad for the final, said Jonathan Gorrie in the London Evening Standard. The Ballon d’Or winner was ruled out of the tournament with a thigh injury, but with Deschamps not calling up a replacement it means that the Real Madrid striker is still registered on the 26-man squad. The 34-year-old has returned to training at Real and “could fly out” to Qatar in what would be a “dramatic boost” for Les Bleus.

POSSIBLE STARTING XIs

Argentina: Martinez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Acuna, De Paul, Paredes, Fernandez, Mac Allister, Messi (captain), Alvarez

France: Lloris (captain); Kounde, Varane, Konate, T. Hernandez, Rabiot, Tchouameni; Dembele, Griezmann, Mbappe, Giroud

PREDICTIONS AND ODDS 

“Do I have to? Really?”, said Joe Brennan on AS. “I will go for a draw after 120 minutes” and “endless penalties” until every player and substitute scores and the managers have to take one each. Then Scaloni “buries his” and Argentina win. “OK, maybe it doesn’t play out exactly like that, but it’s the only way my brain can compute how to separate these two football giants. I predict an Argentina… win? Wait, do I?”

While Messi would appear to be “destined for the ultimate glory”, this French team “will take some beating”, said Jonathan Gorrie in the London Evening Standard. “Seemingly incapable of panicking” and boasting “obvious firepower”, they could “feasibly weather the Argentine storm” on their way to a third World Cup win. Prediction: France to win 2-1.

There’s not much between these teams and “I can see it going all the way to penalties”, where Argentina will be “the slight favourite”, said Robert Kidd on Forbes. “I think it will finish 1-1 after extra time”, and Argentina, and Lionel Messi, will win the 2022 World Cup on penalties. 

As much as a Messi-led victory for Argentina will be “memorable”, a French victory will be “historic”, said Dan Roberts on Football Italia. It will be the “first time since 1962 that a nation has won the tournament twice in a row”. Obviously, it will “break Argentinian hearts”, but this is a France team that could be about to “go down in history”.

Right now, the latest odds are “about as close as they can be”, said Brian Good on Oddschecker. 

But, it looks as though France have the “early upper hand when it comes to the betting markets”. France are priced at 10/11 to lift the trophy, while Argentina are 19/20. Prices as of December 15, according to Oddschecker. — Theweek.co.uk.