Four weeks of soccer have been leading up to Sunday, the 2022 World Cup final at Lusail Stadium in Qatar, pitting Lionel Messi and Argentina against defending champion France at 10 a.m. ET.
Both countries have won the tournament twice – Argentina in 1978 and 1986 and France in 1998 and 2018. Les Blues hope to become the third nation to win back-to-back tournaments, joining Italy (1934, 1938) and Brazil (1958, 1962) as the only teams to accomplish the feat.
The World Cup has long eluded Messi, perhaps the greatest player in the history of the sport. Playing in this tournament for the fifth time, the 35-year-old Messi can win the one trophy missing from his cabinet.
Keep it here throughout the match for updates and highlights:
France recovered from flu
Follow every match: Latest World Cup Scores and Schedules
Les Bleus are back to full strength. Well, as full strength as they get at this tournament.
Midfielder Adrien Rabiot and defender Dayot Upamecano, who missed the semifinal with the flu, were back in the starting lineup for France for Sunday’s final against Argentina. Raphael Varane is also in the starting XI, two days after missing practice with “flu-like symptoms.”
Ibrahima Konate and Kingsley Coman, who missed practice the same day as Varane, are also available to play.
One player who isn’t available is Karim Benzema.
The reigning Ballon d’Or winner is training again with Real Madrid after recovering from the thigh injury that’s kept him out of the World Cup, and there were reports the club had cleared him to join France for the final. But Benzema is listed on the start sheet as “absent.”
The only change to Argentina’s lineup is Angel Di Maria is back starting and Leandro Paredes is coming off the bench.
The 34-year-old Di Maria started Argentina’s first four games at the World Cup, but came on as a substitute in the quarterfinal game against the Netherlands. He didn’t play in Tuesday’s semifinal against Croatia.
What Argentina, France must do to win World Cup final
This wasn’t the final many expected when the World Cup began almost a month ago, what with France hollowed by injuries and Argentina losing to Saudi Arabia in its opener. Yet here we are, the defending champions and Lionel Messi and Co. emerging as the class of the tournament as both chase history.
So what are the keys to victory for each team?
Argentina:
- Be ruthless
- Forget what’s at stake
- Corral Kylian Mbappe
France:
- Stay present
- Don’t overlook Argentina’s youngsters
- Don’t mess with what’s working
Read Nancy Armour’s full World Cup final preview here
Is Qatar’s World Cup a prelude to Olympics in the Middle East?
There will come a day, not long from now, when Qatari officials will make their case that the success of this World Cup has shown Doha to be a worthy host of a Summer Olympics. Possibly as early as 2036. They will tout the dazzling World Cup stadiums, first-class training facilities and the efficient metro system that whisked fans between games. They will show photos of those smiling fans, celebrating their teams as the skyline glitters in the background.
They will remind the IOC that a Middle Eastern country has never hosted an Olympics, and point to the unfairness of excluding a region with more than 400 million people. It will be a compelling argument and one sure to tempt IOC president Thomas Bach, the great statesman he fancies himself to be.
– Nancy Armour, USA TODAY Sports
2022 Golden Boot: Messi, Mbappe tied for most World Cup goals
The World Cup final will decide the winner of the Golden Boot award as the top scorer of the tournament.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi and France’s Kylian Mbappe have each scored five goals in Qatar, with Messi holding the tiebreaker having three assists to Mbappe’s two. Their teammates, Julian Alvarez of Argentina and Olivier Giroud of France are tied for third with four goals each.
Story Credit: usatoday.com