France
Benzema posts tweet indicating international retirement
France forward Karim Benzema posted a message on social networks Monday indicating that he is retiring from internationals, a day after the national team lost the World Cup final without him.
After raising the Ballon d'Or award as the world's top player to crown his remarkable rise, Benzema's dream of winning the World Cup was over last month before the tournament in Qatar even started as he tore a muscle in his left thigh during training with Les Bleus.
"I made the effort and the mistakes it took to be where I am today and I'm proud of it! I have written my story and ours is ending," Benzema wrote on his 35th birthday, in a post accompanied by a picture of him in a France shirt.
Read more: Brilliant Benzema and His Road to Ballon d’Or Glory
The Real Madrid striker was France's top scorer at the 2014 World Cup but did not play in the country's victorious 2018 World Cup campaign because he was still exiled from the national team for his alleged role in a sex-tape scandal with then-France teammate Mathieu Valbuena.
The fallout from that scandal led to a dramatic fall from grace for Benzema. He faced a nationwide deluge of vitriol and scathing criticism, including on the political level. It led to a long exclusion from the national team from October 2015 until his recall by Deschamps in May last year.
With his relationship with Deschamps repaired, Benzema scored freely for France with 10 goals in 16 games after his return to reach 37 overall, and he formed a great partnership with Kylian Mbappe.
His most impressive run of performances came in last season's Champions League as he led Madrid to the title – his fifth in Europe's top competition – with 15 goals. He has moved up to second place on Madrid's all-time scoring list with 329 goals.
At last year's European Championship, Benzema looked sharp and was France's top scorer with four goals.
Olivier Giroud started for France in Benzema's place at the World Cup in Qatar and finished the tournament with four goals, but he was substituted before halftime of Sunday's final with Argentina leading 2-0.
France fought back for 2-2 after 90 minutes and 3-3 following extra time before Argentina won a penalty shootout to cap one of the most exciting finals in World Cup history.
Read more: France's Benzema ruled out of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
Mbappé electrifies in World Cup epic, ends up on losing side
Kylian Mbappé scored a hat trick seemingly from out of nowhere to electrify the World Cup final, he ended the tournament as the leading scorer with eight goals, and he still missed out on winning a second straight title.
The France superstar was on the losing side of an epic final against Argentina that was settled in a penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw on Sunday. He was then consoled on the field by French President Emmanuel Macron.
“Kylian has really left his mark on this final,” France coach Didier Deschamps said.
Read more: Messi wins World Cup to push claim to be soccer's GOAT
Mbappé had been the leader France desperately needed as time was running out with the defending champions trailing 2-0 and playing poorly. The forward had also been almost invisible up to that point.
But his goals carried France back into the match — twice. First, late in regulation time. Then again deep in extra time.
Mbappé converted a penalty in the 80th minute and then scored with a volley from just inside the area in the 81st.
It took only 97 seconds for him to get France even with Argentina and the great Lionel Messi.
Mbappé scored a second penalty in extra time, about 10 minutes after Messi had given Argentina the lead again in what became a compelling duel between the two players.
Mbappé's hat trick was only the second in a World Cup final — the other was by England striker Geoff Hurst in 1966.
The Frenchman leaves Qatar with the Golden Boot trophy as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals. At the age of 23, he's matched Pelé's career total of 12 World Cup goals.
But Mbappé couldn't quite match the Brazil great's back-to-back World Cup titles — both players were teenagers when they won their first one, Pelé in 1958 and Mbappé in 2018.
One minute before Mbappé turned the game on its head, Argentina’s fans began to taunt him.
Chants of “Olé, Olé” rained down from the stands at Lusail Stadium as Mbappé futilely chased the ball while his opponents passed it over and around him.
Read more: Messi fulfils his destiny, Argentina win third World Cup
Mbappé gestured in frustration with his right arm at the apparent hopelessness of the situation.
But after scoring his first two goals, Mbappé surged into the Argentina half looking for a game-winning third. His darting, twisting run resulted in a shot deflected just too high.
Once he eventually got the hat trick to make it 3-3 in extra time, Mbappé set out for a fourth. His curling cross barely eluded the head of substitute Randal Kolo Muani, and a final dribble deep into the Argentina penalty area was scrambled clear as he looked to shoot.
He shouted out loud as his last attempt to win the game single-handedly slipped away.
Mbappé tried to set the tone in the penalty shootout, taking responsibility for the first kick. He converted the penalty but France still ended up losing 4-2. Messi did the same for Argentina to start the shootout, but his teammates all scored their penalties.
During the shootout, Mbappé made sure he was the first to console Kingsley Coman and Aurélien Tchouaméni on their slow walks back to the center circle after their failures to score.
Mbappé stood bent over in the center circle, hands on his knees, as Argentina defender Gonzalo Montiel prepared to take the decisive kick. He then squatted, saw the net ripple and walked away alone amid the Argentina celebrations.
Deschamps eventually came over behind his player to put arms around his neck. Mbappé soon went to the team dugout and sat slumped in a chair with his dark blue shirt pulled up over his face to hide his emotions.
Long after the game was over, Mbappé left the stadium with his head bowed and the World Cup trophy securely in the hands of Messi.
Messi fulfils his destiny, Argentina win third World Cup
Lionel Messi's once-in-a-generation career is complete. The Argentina superstar is finally a World Cup champion.
Messi scored two goals and then another in a shootout as Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties Sunday to claim a third World Cup title despite Kylian Mbappé scoring the first hattrick in a final in 56 years.
Now there's no debate. Messi is definitively in the pantheon of football's greatest-ever players, alongside Pelé – a record three-time World Cup champion from Brazil – and Diego Maradona, the late Argentina great with whom Messi was so often compared.
Messi achieved what Maradona did in 1986 and dominated a World Cup for Argentina. The torch will one day pass to Mbappé, whose late goals lit up one of the most dramatic finals in the tournament's 92-year history and made him the first scorer of a hattrick in a final since 1966, but not just yet.
"Let's go, Argentina!" Messi roared into a microphone on the field in the post-match celebrations.
Messi put Argentina ahead from the penalty spot and played a part in Angel Di Maria's goal that made it 2-0 after 36 minutes.
ARG-FRA 2-2 after Mbappe drags France back into final
Kylian Mbappé made it 2-2 for France in the 81st minute on a volley just one minute after scoring on the penalty against Argentina in the World Cup final.
Argentina had a 2-0 lead at half-time after goals by Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria.
Messi scored on a 23rd-minute penalty kick after a foul on Di Maria. Thirteen minutes later Di Maria finished off a flowing team move involving a deft flick from Messi.
Messi now has 12 World Cup goals — the same as Brazil great Pelé — and is the first player to score in the group stage and every round of the knockout stage in a single edition of the tournament.
Like France, Argentina are seeking a third World Cup title — after 1978 and 1986 — to move into outright fourth place in the all-time list. It would end a 36-year wait for football's biggest prize, since Maradona's string of virtuoso performances in Mexico in 1986.
That made Maradona forever a hero in Argentina and an icon around the football world. Messi now appears to be at that level.
Messi has evoked comparisons with Maradona in the way he has pushed Argentina to the final, scoring six goals, thrilling his team's legion of fans, who have poured into Qatar throughout the World Cup in numbers only really matched by those from Morocco.
Read more: Messi fulfils his destiny, Argentina win third World Cup
Messi's 12th World Cup goal puts Argentina ahead of France
Argentina have a 2-0 lead against France in the World Cup final after goals by Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria.
Messi scored on a 23rd-minute penalty kick after a foul on Di Maria. Thirteen minutes later Di Maria finished off a flowing team move involving a deft flick from Messi.
It was Messi's 12th World Cup goal. Messi is making a record 26th appearance at the World Cup, breaking a tie with Germany great Lothar Matthäus.
Messi's matches have been spread over five World Cups, starting in 2006.
Like France, Argentina are seeking a third World Cup title — after 1978 and 1986 — to move into outright fourth place in the all-time list. It would end a 36-year wait for football's biggest prize, since Maradona's string of virtuoso performances in Mexico in 1986.
That made Maradona forever a hero in Argentina and an icon around the football world. Messi now appears to be at that level.
Messi has evoked comparisons with Maradona in the way he has pushed Argentina to the final, scoring six goals, thrilling his team's legion of fans, who have poured into Qatar throughout the World Cup in numbers only really matched by those from Morocco.
Read more: World Cup final: Di Maria makes it 2-0 for Argentina against France
Israel says it deported Palestinian activist to France
) Israel said it deported a Palestinian lawyer and activist to France, claiming he has ties to a banned militant group, despite objections from the French government.
The explusion of Salah Hammouri underscored the fragile status of the status of Palestinians in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem and set up a possible diplomatic spat with France. The French government had repeatedly appealed to Israel not to carry out the expulsion.
Israel’s interior minister, Ayelet Shaked, announced the deportation in a brief statement.
Read more: Beefed-up Israel police clash with Palestinians in Jerusalem
“I’m happy to announce that justice was served today and the terrorist Salah Hammouri was deported from Israel," she said in a videotaped statement.
Israel says Hammouri is an activist in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Hammouri had been held in administrative detention without being charged. Shaked ordered the expulsion when his detention ended.
Hammouri was born in Jerusalem but holds French citizenship
Read more: Palestinians clash with Israeli police at major holy site
FIFA World Cup Final 2022 Argentina vs France LIVE Streaming: Where and How to watch online and TV Channel, Predicted XI
Here you can get all the details as to When, Where, and how you can watch the FIFA World Cup 2022 Final Argentina vs France Live Streaming.
FIFA World Cup 2022 final Argentina vs France: Argentina will take on defending champions France in the final of the ongoing FIFA World Cup at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday. Argentina and France will face each other for the 13th time in their history, with both teams looking to win their third World Cup title.
Argentina qualified for the final after a comprehensive 3-0 win against Croatia in the semifinals, while France clinched a 2-0 win against Morocco to reach its second successive final. The champion of the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be crowned on Sunday.
Read More: Argentina vs France Final Match Preview: FIFA World Cup 2022
Here's everything you need to know about the highly anticipated match:
How and Where to watch FIFA World Cup 2022 Argentina vs France live in Bangladesh?
Bangladesh has a large number of fans who are watching FIFA World Cup 2022. Viewers can watch the match live on all of these channels: T Sports, BTV, PTE LTD and Viacom 18.
Toffee apps FIFA World Cup final 2022 live-The digital platform powered by Banglalink
FIFA world cup Qatar 2022 is being live telecasting on various apps. Bangladesh viewers can enjoy live stream between France vs Poland online the World Cup games on Toffee, the digital platform powered by Banglalink.
On social media Facebook pages and YouTube channels also live Argentina vs France final match.
Read More: How Argentina can beat France in the World Cup final
How to watch Argentina vs France live stream in India
In India, the World Cup is being live-streamed on Sports18, but every game is being shown for free and in 4K via the JioCinema app. You can live stream Argentina vs France Tuesday Night.
In Hindi, English, Malayalam, Bengali and Tamil Coverage is available and the JioCinema app is compatible with Chromecast if you want to get a big-screen experience.
How to watch Argentina vs France live stream in Australia
Soccer fans in Australia can enjoy Argentina vs France, along with every World Cup 2022 game, on free-to-air SBS. You can tune in on your TV or live stream Argentina vs France using SBS if you need.
This is free to use SBS on Demand and also it works on a range of smart devices as well as mobile phones, web browsers and smart TVs.
Read More: Will Messi's last performance in World Cup help Argentina win the trophy in Qatar?
How to watch Argentina vs France live stream World Cup 2022 soccer in the US without cable
Don’t` worry If you don't have cable TV, you can enjoy match live. A cord-cutting service is what for instant access to Fox and FS1. Sling Blue is the cheapest. Its only $40 per month but you needs to get first month half-price with this discount.
All of the matches of the World Cup is also being telecasted live on Peacock TV. The Peacock price may in at $4.99 a month and the service also proposals live coverage of the WWE, NFL, EPL and.
If you want to subscribe to Peacock, Sling or any other US live streaming service, and find yourself unable to access coverage because you're out of the country, you can consider using a VPN
How to watch Argentina vs France live sluice in UK
Football suckers in the UK can watch Argentina vs France live sluice for free on BBC iPlayer, along with numerous further World Cup 2022 games, as content of the event is resolve unevenly between the BBC and ITV.
UK Football suckers can enjoy live match of BBC iPlayer that's free to use, It works across a wide range of bias including laptops, smart TVs, mobile phones, games consoles, tablets and others streaming sticks. You can watch all the other FIFA World Cup Qatar final 2022 live aqueducts for free on ITV Hub.
Argentina vs France final match live: Where can you watch live?
United States –: Fox Sports app, FOX, Telemundo, fuboTV, , Telemundo Deportes En Vivo
United Kingdom –: BBC Sport Website, BBC One; Live Stream: BBC iPlayer,
Australia –: Live Stream: SBS On Demand, SBS;
Nigeria – Showmax Pro and SuperSport.
Singapore –: Channel 5, Mediacorp; Live Stream on Singapore: StarHub TV+, IPTV, Singtel TV
Hong Kong – Live Stream: Now TV, ViuTV: BeIN Sports, ITV;
Canada –: TSN app, CTV, TSN, fuboTV,
Malaysia –: Astro Go, RTM, Astro, Live Stream
Where will the Final match between Argentina vs France FIFA World Cup 2022 be held?
The FIFA World Cup 2022 final match between Argentina and France will be held at the Lusail Stadium.
When: December 18, 9.00 PM IST
What time will the Final match between Argentina vs France FIFA World Cup 2022 kick-off?
The FIFA World Cup 2022 Final match between Argentina vs France will start at 9:00 PM IST.
Read More: France struck by cold virus ahead of World Cup final
Argentina possible starting lineup:
Argentina Possible XI vs France: Cristian Romero, Rodrigo De Paul, Emiliano Martínez, Nahuel Molina, Alex Mac Allister, Nicolás Otamendi, Marcos Acuña, Enzo Fernández, Leandro Paredes, , , Julián Álvarez, Lionel Messi
France Possible starting lineup:
France Possible XI vs Argentina: Hugo Lloris, Jules Kounde, Raphael Varane, Dayot Upamecano, Theo Hernandez, Aurelien Tchouameni, Adrien Rabiot, Ousmane Dembele, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe, Olivier Giroud
Argentina vs France overall Head-to-Head record
Out of the 12 matches they have played, Argentina has won six of them compared to France’s three. Three matches have ended in a draw.
Both sides will be locking horns for the 13th time in football history. Argentina holds the edge over France, having won six out of 12 times in their meetings, with France winning three; the other three matches have ended in a draw. France, however, had won in their last meeting that incidentally came in the World Cup knock-out stages at the previous edition (2018).
Read More: Messi or Mbappe: Who will win Golden Boot in World Cup 2022?
How Argentina can beat France in the World Cup final
Lionel Messi stands on the brink of a long-awaited World Cup winner’s medal as Argentina faces defending champions France in Sunday’s final.
One of soccer’s greatest players of all time is within touching distance of the one major trophy that has eluded him in his storied career.
Read more: FIFA charges Argentina for disorder at World Cup match
But having experienced defeat in the final of 2014 in Brazil, when Argentina lost 1-0 to Germany through extra time, Messi knows all too well the pain of having his World Cup dreams shattered.
If Argentina is to win the tournament for the first time since 1986, here is how it might do it:
LEAVE IT TO MESSI
There is no escaping the sense that it is Messi’s destiny to emulate soccer great Diego Maradona and lead Argentina to the World Cup title. The 35-year-old Paris Saint-Germain forward has been in inspired form in Qatar, scoring five goals on the way to the final and producing some magical assists for his teammates. Maradona, who died in 2020, also scored five times in ’86 and was an iconic figure for his team and country. Messi does not dominate games over 90 minutes in the way he did during his peak years. Instead he decides them with moments of brilliance that showcase the talents that have led many to describe him as the finest soccer player in history. He has carried the expectations of his nation throughout his career, but never truly delivered at a World Cup. While he may be past his best, he has been more influential in this tournament than in any of his previous four World Cups. Argentina’s fans seem convinced they will win the trophy for a third time and that there is more than just Messi guiding them on. “Maradona,” they sing, “is cheering Lionel on” from heaven.
CONCENTRATION IS KEY
Assessing his team’s semifinal loss to France, Morocco coach Walid Regragui provided a fascinating observation. “I believe any country that plays France believe they are close to winning,” he said. “But when you’re close to winning, actually you are quite far from winning.” After putting France under pressure for long periods, Morocco eventually lost 2-0. It was a similar story for England in the quarterfinals. France won 2-1 in that game, despite England’s players believing they had been the better team. The warning is there for Argentina. Both teams have been comfortable giving up possession of the ball and attacking on the break. Perhaps the winner will be the team that manages to stick to those tactics, rather than being sucked in and pushing too far forward. Maintaining that concentration and discipline will be vital for Argentina — especially with the threat of Kylian Mbappe’s speed when France breaks.
Read more: Argentina beat Croatia 3-0 to reach World Cup final
FEED OFF THE FANS
It has been emotional for Argentina and its supporters, who have lit up the tournament in Qatar. The mass outpouring of feelings has been a feature after every win. That can take a lot out of players — but in this instance, it has felt like the opposite has been true. Messi and Co. look like they are being driven on by the weight of expectation, rather than burdened by it. There is a sense that the players and the fans are in this together, and if, as expected, Argentina’s supporters outnumber France’s at Lusail Stadium on Sunday, that could give the edge to Messi and his teammates. That being said, Morocco’s fans totally dominated the atmosphere in their country’s semifinals match against France and still ended up on the losing side.
10 dead, including 5 children, in France apartment fire
Ten people, including five children died as nighttime fire ravaged an eight-story apartment building Friday in one of the city of Lyon’s poorest suburbs, French authorities said. The cause of the fatal blaze was being investigated.
Fourteen people were injured in the fire in the small suburban town of Vaulx-en-Velin, four of them seriously, according to the prefecture for the Rhone region. Some 170 firefighters were mobilized after the fire broke out shortly after 3 a.m. The fire has been extinguished.
An Associated Press reporter at the scene saw several firetrucks and a security perimeter set up around the area, and residents and traumatized neighbors assembling in a car park opposite the building.
Read more: Wildfire in southwestern France: 8,000 people evacuated
Vaulx-en-Velin, a town of 43,000 inhabitants, is among the most impoverished areas in the Rhone region.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin called the deadly fire “a shock” said that he would travel in the coming hours to the town, which is 470 kilometers (290 miles) southeast of Paris. Darmanin was traveling to Lyon on Friday to present the security plan for Sunday’s final between Argentina and France.
Darmanin will be accompanied on his visit by Housing Minister Olivier Klein.
It’s the deadliest fire in France since 2019, when an arson attack in a posh Paris district killed 10 people and injured 32 others.
Read more: France halts Brazil trade deal over Amazon fires
Argentina vs France Final Match Preview: FIFA World Cup 2022
The two finalists of the FIFA Qatar World Cup 2022 have been confirmed. After almost a month of fighting, Argentina from South America and France from Europe have reached this year’s final. While France had an easy trip to the group stage, Argentina was under pressure after losing their first match to Saudi Arabia. But Messi’s team won the ticket to the final without losing any match. Let’s take a look at Argentina vs France final match preview and know which team has a great chance of winning the Football World Cup.
Time and Venue of the FIFA World Cup Final Argentina vs France Match
Argentina and France will meet in the final at Lusail Stadium next Sunday (December 18) at 9 pm Bangladesh time.
Argentina vs France: Head-to-Head Records So Far
Both teams have faced each other in 12 matches so far, which includes 8 international friendly matches, 1 independent match, and 3 on the World Cup stage.
In 1930, the two teams met for the first time in the first edition of World Cup football, where Argentina beat France 1-0. Since then, the two teams have faced each other in a total of 12 matches, where Argentina won 6, France won 3, and 3 matches have been drawn.
Out of 3 matches played in the World Cup, France won 1 against Argentina’s 2 wins. That, too, was in the last sixteen matches of the 2018 Russia World Cup. In that match, France beat Argentina 4-3 to reach the quarter-finals.
Read More: Messi fans overjoyed in south Asia after Argentina semi win
How Did Argentina Reach the FIFA World Cup Final 2022?
Two-time world champions Argentina stepped into the Qatar World Cup with 36 matches unbeaten record to break the 36-year title drought. But Argentina got upset in that mission after losing against Saudi Arabia in their opening match. In the end, after overcoming the issues, team Argentina is in the finals of the tournament. The Argentines have beaten Mexico, Poland, Australia, Netherlands, and Croatia to reach the final.
Argentina is passing through the World Cup just like a dream, and its main driver is Lionel Messi. In every match, Messi’s great performance seems to be building the result of the match. In the last World Cup of his career, Messi is playing with all his heart. Even in the twilight of his career, the Argentinian superstar’s performance on the field is reminiscent of the young Messi.
Overview of Argentina’s Performance in the World Cup 2022
Let’s see a recap of Argentina’s journey at the Qatar World Cup 2022
Saudi Arab 2: Argentina 1
On November 22, Argentina played the first match in Qatar World Cup with Saudi Arabia. The undefeated team of 36 consecutive matches went ahead with Messi’s penalty goal in 10 minutes. But in the second half, Saudi Arabia, which is number 51 in FIFA banking, entered the field with a new spirit. Saleh Alshehri scored in the 48th minute, and Salem Aldawsari scored the winning goal in the 53rd minute.
Read More: Messi or Mbappe: Who will win Golden Boot in World Cup 2022?
Argentina 2: Mexico 0
On November 26, Argentina signaled to come back after defeating Mexico. Coach Lionel Scaloni was worried after not seeing a goal in the first half. But goals from Messi and Enzo Fernandez in the second half saw the Albiceleste’s return to the tournament.
Argentina 2: Poland 0
Teams confidence almost went down after losing to Saudi Arabia in the first match, regained their confidence in the last match of the group stage when they beat Poland 2-0. The 1978 and 1986 World Cup champions advanced to the knockout stage as group winners thanks to goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez.
Argentina 2: Australia 1
This match was the 1000th of Messi’s career and the 100th as captain of Argentina. With the magic of his left foot, Argentina easily reached the last eight. And Alvarez’s scored the winning goal in the 57th minute.
Argentina 2 (4): Netherlands 2 (3)
This match on December 9 surely boosted Argentina to play the final. Molina and Messi’s goals in the match led Argentina first. But the Dutch equalized in injury time. Ultimately, the fate of the match is decided by a tiebreaker. The match, however, will long be remembered for the spate of fouls and yellow cards involving players from both teams. The Spanish referee Antonio Lahoz showed a total of 15 yellow cards in the entire match.
Argentina 3: Croatia 0
Argentina faced Croatia in the first semi-final. The Croats, who had sent Brazil off, were expected to pose a tough challenge. However, Croatia did not care about coach Scaloni’s excellent strategy and the incredible performance of Lionel Messi. Messi scored the first goal from the penalty. The other two goals came from the feet of Argentina’s new sensation, Alvarez.
Read More: Messi evokes Maradona comparisons on road to World Cup final
Key Players to Watch in Argentina’s Team
Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez, Alexis Mac Allister
Argentina’s Statistics in the FIFA World Cup Finales So Far
The statistics of the FIFA World Cup final do not give much comfort to the Albiceleste. Argentina played the final five times and won the title only two times. Argentina played the first final on the world stage of football in 1930. At the end of the first half, Argentina was leading 2-1 against the hosts Uruguay. But at the end of 90 minutes, they had to leave the field with a 4-2 loss.
Argentina had to carry that loss for 57 years. Finally, in 1978, Mario Kempes wrote the fairy tale. Argentina’s nearly six-decade-long wait is over. The Albiceleste defeated the Netherlands 3-1 in the final of the tournament at home thanks to a pair of goals by Kempes. Argentina played the final again in 1986. This time, under the leadership of Maradona, they defeated the powerful West Germany 3-2 in Mexico and brought home their second title.
The following year Maradona reached the final again. In 1990, Argentina’s dream was shattered in the 85th minute of a match in Italy. West Germany took revenge for the previous tournament and won 1-0.
After a long 24 years break, Argentina entered the finals again in 2014. The fans were waiting to forget the misery of 1990 under the leadership of Lionel Messi. But this time, the previous incident was repeated too. Mario Gotz snatched the title for Germany in the 23rd minute of extra time.
Read More: Will Messi's last performance in World Cup help Argentina win the trophy in Qatar?
How Did France Reach the Final of FIFA World Cup 2022?
Title defender France was the top favorite in the 2022 World Cup. However, there was a concern about France as they started the journey without stars like Karim Benzema, Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kante, and Christopher Nkunku due to injuries.
However, there is a goal machine like Mbappe in this team. There are also extraordinary forwards like Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann, and Ousmane Dembele. All apprehensions were thus blown away at the outset, and France advanced like a king. Poland and England failed to stop France in the knockout stages despite stumbling in Tunisia in the last group stage match. Mbappe and Giroud have done a good job of scoring goals.
Didier Desham’s team has reached the final after beating Morocco 2-0 in the second semi-final game on Wednesday night. Hernandez led France with an excellent goal in just 4 minutes and 39 seconds after starting the match.
So far, this goal has been listed as the fastest goal in a World Cup semi-final game since 1958. Brazil’s Vava scored within two minutes of the game against France. Randal Kolo Muani scored France’s second goal shortly after being substituted in the second half.
Overview of France’s Journey in the FIFA World Cup 2022
Following is the recap of France’s journey at the Qatar World Cup 2022.
France 4: Australia 1
1998 and 2018 World Cup champions France started the tournament with a great win. They beat Australia 4-1 in their first match in Group D. Adrien Rabiot, Olivier Giroud, and Mbappe scored in that match.
France 2: Denmark 1
The next match in the group stage was not easy at all. France went ahead with Mbappe’s goal in the 61st minute, but Denmark equalized seven minutes later. If Mbappe did not score again in the 86th minute, the result of the match could have been different.
Tunisia 1: France 0
Didier Deschamps started the match with an almost new team against Tunisia on November 30 as they assured the knockout stages with two straight wins. However, the nine players from the bench could not make use of the opportunity. However, Tunisia saw this as an advantage, and Wahbi Khazri took the opportunity and scored in the 58th minute and giving Tunisia a memorable victory.
France 3: Poland 1
Mbappe looked fitter and more energetic against Poland after a one-match rest. The result was an easy 3-1 win. Oliver Giroud scored the first goal, but Mbappe did not let anyone share the other two goals.
France 2: England 1
In the quarter-finals, England was a very tough challenge in front of France. Luckily Harry Kane missed the golden opportunity to score the second goal of the match with the penalty; otherwise, who knows what would have been written in the fate of France at the end of the match!
France 2: Morocco 1
Morocco became the first country in Africa to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup by defeating teams like Belgium, Spain, and Portugal. But France did not allow their dream journey to be long. Theo Hernandez and Kolo Muani’s goals floated Mbappe’s team to the final.
Read More: France struck by cold virus ahead of World Cup final
Key Players to Watch in France’s Team
Kylian Mbappé, Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann.
France’s Statistics in the FIFA World Cup Finales So Far
In their first three semi-finals in 1958, 1982, and 1986 France failed to advance to the final. However, they won all their semi-finals after that and entered the final each time and won all four times in 90 minutes. After becoming the champion in 1998, he became the runner-up in 2006. They became champions again in the 2018 Russia tournament. Italy and Brazil have won two consecutive World Cups in history. With the upcoming final, the French have the opportunity to share the record with these two teams.
Probable Starting SquadFrance vs Argentina Final Match:
Argentina:
Martinez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Acuna, De Paul, Paredes, Fernandez, Mac Allister, Messi, Alvarez
France:
Lloris; Kounde, Varane, Konate, T. Hernandez, Rabiot, Tchouameni; Dembele, Griezmann, Mbappe; Giroud
2022 FIFA World Cup Final Argentina vs France: Match Result Prediction
It is difficult to predict the outcome of this game. However, France is the current favorite to win, as they have a strong team and a good track record of success in World Cup tournaments. Argentina has also been very impressive in this World Cup, so the game could go either way. But according to SportsMole’s data analysis, Argentina has a 38.08% chance of winning, while France has 35.33%. However, there is a 26.59% chance for a draw in the first 90 minutes.
Read More: FIFA World Cup Final 2022 Argentina vs France LIVE Streaming: Where and How to watch online and TV Channel, Predicted XI
Final Words
Four years ago, France beat Argentina 4-3 in the second round on their way to winning the World Cup in Russia. However, France coach Didier Deschamps sees a lot of differences between the team Argentina and the current team. This year Argentina is different under Lionel Scaloni. Along with that, Messi’s great rhythm was also a threat to France.
On the other hand, Mbappé, Giroud, and Griezmann trio can destroy Argentina easily. So, we have to wait until Sunday to see the winner of the Argentina vs France World Cup final 2022.