The GOAT goes up against the champs and a few of former Barcelona colleagues in search of the one title he’s never won.
For many watchers and pundits of the beautiful game, today’s showdown in Doha is the battle between Lionel Messi and Kyilian Mbappe, who both star for PSG but will this evening be at daggers drawn, in search of the ultimate prize in world football.
Argentina Outs & Doubts: Papu Gómez, Ángel Di María (doubt)
France Outs & Doubts: Olivier Giroud (doubt)
Date/Time: Sunday, December 18, 2022, 6pm local time, 10am ET, 7am PT (USA), 4pm WAT (Nigeria), 8.30pm IST (India)
Venue: Lusail Stadium, Al Daayen
Referee: Szymon Marciniak (POL)
How to watch on TV: FOX (USA), SuperSport (Nigeria), Sports18 (India), others
How to watch online: FOX Sports App, Sling TV (USA), others
There were two more. After a tremendous month of action in Qatar, including some of the most dramatic moments in tournament history, Argentina will face France in the World Cup Final on Sunday at the Lusail Stadium for the richest prize in sports.
For many reasons, this is without a doubt one of the most anticipated World Cup Finals in history. France is attempting to become the third country in history and the first in 50 years to repeat as world champions, and one of these two will join a very small group of countries that have won the trophy at least three times, including Brazil, Germany, and Italy.
This is also a rematch of the 2018 Round of 16 in Russia, in which Les Bleus annihilated the Albiceleste on their route to the trophy, and Argentina has not shied away from seeking vengeance four years later.
Argentina has been the best, most consistent team in this tournament since their shocking loss to Saudi Arabia in the opener, while France has struggled a lot in their games and is here thanks in large part to their immense talent, making this a fascinating clash between a true team and a collection of exceptional individuals.
There’s also the duel between Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi, who are colleagues at PSG and have dominated the headlines ahead of this one.
Mbappé can cement his position as maybe the finest player in the world if he shines in the Final, and Messi will remove any doubts about his standing as the greatest footballer of all time if he eventually wins a World Cup.
Messi is clearly a Barcelona legend and the main story of this game for Culers, but there are current Barça players on the other side looking for their own glory as Ousmane Dembélé and Jules Kounde will try to spoil Messi’s party and help Mbappé and former Blaugrana Antoine Griezmann repeat as champions.
POSSIBLE LINEUPS
Argentina (4-3-3): E. Martínez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Acuña; De Paul, Fernández, Mac Allister; Di María, Messi, J. Álvarez
France (4-2-3-1): Lloris; Kounde, Varane, Upamecano, T. Hernandez; Tchouaméni, Rabiot; Dembélé, Griezmann, Mbappé; Giroud
PREDICTION
We’ve been waiting for this for almost two decades. We won’t be let down: Argentina wins 2-1 in extra time, and the GOAT achieves immortality.
