FIFA WC final: France in trouble after Messi, Di Maria double Argentina’s lead

By Online Desk

The final between Lionel Messi’s Argentia and Kylian Mbappe’s France is underway at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday as both teams battle it out for football’s biggest prize.

Argentina drew the first blood to go up 1-0 courtesy of a  Lionel Messi penalty. It was Messi’s 12th World Cup goal and 6th in this year’s tournament. 

Angel Di Maria has made it 2-0 for Argentina in the World Cup final.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man!

Lionel Messi converts the penalty in the 23rd minute as Argentina take 1-0 lead.#Qatar2022

– AP pic.twitter.com/a8ehBbdQXS

— Sports Express (@Xpress_Sports) December 18, 2022

Argentina received a boost in the form of veteran playmaker Angel Di Maria who started the game after suffering an injury in the opening game against Saudi Arabia. Coach Lionel Scaloni lined up his in a 4-3-3 formation as the La albiceleste looks to win its third World Cup, while Messi looks to win the one trophy that has eluded him. 

Meanwhile, France midfielder Adrien Rabiot returned to the starting XI in place of Youssouf Fofana and centre-back Dayot Upamecano replaced Ibrahima Konate. Deschamps lined up the defending champions in a 4-3-3 with the in-form Antoine Griezmann completing the midfield trio alongside Tchouameni and Rabiot. Skipper Hugo Lloris looks to become the only captain to win back-to-back World Cups after leading the Les Blues to glory in 2018.

Argentina won the competition in 1978 and 1986, while France won it in 1998 and as recently as 2018.

Starting Lineups:

Argentina (4-3-3): Emiliano Martínez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Nicolás Otamendi, Nicolas Tagliafico; Angel Di Maria, Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister; Julián Álvarez, Lionel Messi.

France (4-3-3): Hugo Lloris; Jules Koundé, Raphael Varane, Dayot Upamecano, Theo Hernandez; Aurélien Tchouaméni, Antoine Griezmann, Adrien Rabiot; Ousmane Dembélé, Kylian Mbappé, Olivier Giroud.

<br /> The final between Lionel Messi’s Argentia and Kylian Mbappe’s France is underway at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday as both teams battle it out for football’s biggest prize.</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.85 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad200503 " id="quads-ad200503" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.85 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="1823845571"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>Argentina drew the first blood to go up 1-0 courtesy of a  Lionel Messi penalty. It was Messi’s 12th World Cup goal and 6th in this year’s tournament. </p> <p>Angel Di Maria has made it 2-0 for Argentina in the World Cup final.</p> <p>Cometh the hour, cometh the man!<br /> Lionel Messi converts the penalty in the 23rd minute as Argentina take 1-0 lead.#Qatar2022<br /> – AP pic.twitter.com/a8ehBbdQXS<br /> — Sports Express (@Xpress_Sports) December 18, 2022<br /> Argentina received a boost in the form of veteran playmaker Angel Di Maria who started the game after suffering an injury in the opening game against Saudi Arabia. Coach Lionel Scaloni lined up his in a 4-3-3 formation as the La albiceleste looks to win its third World Cup, while Messi looks to win the one trophy that has eluded him. </p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.85 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad200503 " id="quads-ad200503" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.85 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="1823845571"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>Meanwhile, France midfielder Adrien Rabiot returned to the starting XI in place of Youssouf Fofana and centre-back Dayot Upamecano replaced Ibrahima Konate. Deschamps lined up the defending champions in a 4-3-3 with the in-form Antoine Griezmann completing the midfield trio alongside Tchouameni and Rabiot. Skipper Hugo Lloris looks to become the only captain to win back-to-back World Cups after leading the Les Blues to glory in 2018.</p> <p>Argentina won the competition in 1978 and 1986, while France won it in 1998 and as recently as 2018.</p> <p>Starting Lineups:</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.85 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad200503 " id="quads-ad200503" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.85 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="1823845571"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>Argentina (4-3-3): Emiliano Martínez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Nicolás Otamendi, Nicolas Tagliafico; Angel Di Maria, Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister; Julián Álvarez, Lionel Messi.</p> <p>France (4-3-3): Hugo Lloris; Jules Koundé, Raphael Varane, Dayot Upamecano, Theo Hernandez; Aurélien Tchouaméni, Antoine Griezmann, Adrien Rabiot; Ousmane Dembélé, Kylian Mbappé, Olivier Giroud.<br />