Follow all the action from the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Final on beIN SPORTS
An unforgettable FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ hailed "the best ever" by Gianni Infantino will conclude with two-time winners Argentina taking on reigning champions France at the Lusail Stadium.
Didier Deschamps side are seeking to become the first nation in 60 years to win back-to-back World Cup titles (Brazil, 1958-1962), while Argentina hope to end their World Cup drought and add football's biggest prize to Messi's already bulging trophy cabinet.
Lionel Scaloni's side avenged their defeat against Croatia at the 2018 World Cup with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Zlatko Dalic's side in the semi-final, sealing their second final appearance in eight years.
Looking back to their previous World Cup final appearance, Messi and Co. lost out in extra-time to a Mario Gotze winner and will be doing everything in their powers to ensure that same heartbreak is not suffered once again.
Looking back to the start of the competition, many doubted Argentina's ability to even progress from the group stages after a shock 2-1 opening defeat to Herve Renard's Saudi Arabia.
Low on confidence after that clash, La albiceleste needed someone to step up to the occasion. Luckily for them, they have one the greatest players of all time who did exactly that.
Playing in what may be his last World Cup tournament, Lionel Messi has carried the weight of expectation on both shoulders, producing magical moments that will live long in the memories of fans who have visited Qatar's mesmerising stadiums and those who have watched from around the world.
In a nervy clash against Mexico, it was Argentina's number 10 who broke the deadlock in the 64th minute, unleashing a beautifully placed strike from outside the box leaving veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa with no chance. Enzo Fernandez's stunning first international goal rounded off the victory, while Argentina still needed a win against Poland to guarantee qualification.
An utterly dominant performance against Poland followed, where Argentina enjoyed 74% of the possession and registered 23 shots to Poland's four in a 2-0 victory which saw Scaloni's side finish top of Group C despite their stuttering start against the Saudis.
A round 16 clash against unlikely Round of 16 qualifiers Australia followed, where Messi was the star of the show in a narrow 2-1 victory. The game which followed in the quarter-finals against the Netherlands has been widely dubbed as the Match of the Tournament.
Nahuel Molina's opener, expertly provided by Messi - followed by a coolly taken penalty from the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner gave Argentina a deserved 2-0 lead. However, with less than eight minutes remaining, an unlikely hero in the form of Burnley loanee Wout Weghorst bagged a dramatic late brace forcing extra-time.
Argentina ultimately prevailed 4-3 in a tense penalty shootout, sealing their semi-final against Croatia which Scaloni's side made light work of thanks to another Messi penalty and Julian Alvarez's excellent double.
Argentina have lost in the World Cup final on three occasions and will be hoping to avoid equalling Germany's record of four final defeats. Spain are the only side to have lost their opening game at a World Cup and gone on to win the final, and Argentina will be looking to etch their name alongside their fellow Spanish speakers in achieving that feat.
In regard to Scaloni's squad selection, Marcos Acuna and Gonzalo Montiel are available once again after serving their yellow card suspensions, while Alejandro Gomez is the only injury doubt.
Argentina Predicted Team:
E. Martinez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Acuna; De Paul, Fernandez, Mac Allister; Di Maria, Messi, Alvarez
Road to the Final: Argentina
Group Stage:
Argentina 1-2 Saudi Arabia
Argentina 2-0 Mexico
Poland 0-2 Argentina
Round of 16:
Argentina 2-1 Australia
Quarter-finals:
Netherlands 2 (3) - (4) 2 Argentina
Semi-finals:
Argentina 3-0 Croatia
How to watch Online – beIN CONNECT
Channel - beIN SPORTS MAX 3
Kick-Off – 18:00 Mecca
Stadium - Lusail Stadium
France sealed their place in the 2022 World Cup final with a hard-earned 2-0 victory over Morocco last time out. However, ahead of the tournament many doubted whether Deschamps' side had the quality at their disposal to realistically challenge for the trophy once again.
Prior to the tournament, France lost a number of key players due to injury. Paul Pogba, N'Golo Kante and Karim Benzema, the current Ballon d'Or winner, were all ruled out in what many thought would be a devastating blow for the side.
Fast forward 63 games and Les Bleus are once again involved in the headline event, but their route to the final has not been straightforward.
Deschamps side suffered defeat in their final group game against Tunisia, albeit with a much-changed side after securing their qualification with wins Over Australia and Denmark.
A more routine victory followed in the Round of 16, as France's all-time leading goalscorer Olivier Giroud and a brace from Kylian Mbappe comfortably dealt with Robert Lewandowski's Poland in a 3-1 victory.
France ensured that football would not be coming home after edging out England 2-1 in the quarter-final, despite looking second best for large parts of the match and conceding two penalties, the second of which Harry Kane blazed over the bar in the closing stages.
A stern test against the first African and Arab semi-finalists Morocco was overcome with goals in either half from Theo Hernandez and Randal Kolo Muani, ensuring Les Bleus, like their opponents, have a chance at claiming a third World Cup title.
Deschamps was asked in his pre-match press conference about the possibility of bringing Benzema into the squad following his recovery from the thigh injury which originally ruled him out of the tournament, but refused to divulge any information - clearly focused on the task at hand and squad that has got him to yet another final.
A good omen for France is that they have not suffered a defeat to a South American nation at the World Cup since way back in the 1978 group stage, a run Deschamps will be desperate to continue.
Kylian Mbappe has been in imperious form throughout the tournament, currently tied on five goals with Lionel Messi in a race for the Golden Boot which will come down to the headline act.
France have been burdened with further selection concerns ahead of the final. Adrien Rabiot, Dayot Upemecano, Kingsley Coman, Raphael Varane and Ibrahima Konate have missed either matches or training sessions in the lead-up to the final, and Deschamps will be hoping he has a full squad to choose from come matchday.
France Predicted Team:
Lloris; Kounde, Varane, Upamecano, T. Hernandez; Tchouameni, Rabiot; Dembele, Griezmann, Mbappe; Giroud
Road to the Final - France:
Group stage:
France 4-1 Australia
France 2-1 Denmark
Tunisia 1-0 France
Round of 16:
France 3-1 Poland
Quarter-final:
England 1-2 France
Semi-final:
France 2-0 Morocco
Head to Head:
Argentina and France have met on 13 occasions, with La albiceleste coming out on top in six of those encounters to Les Bleus three victories, while three matches have also ended as a draw.
Follow all the action from the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Final on beIN SPORTS
