So, after a long tournament we are down to just two teams. Will France retain their World Cup crown or will Lionel Messi finally bring it home for Argentina…
FRANCE
Didier Deschamps’ side have made it to yet another World Cup final, Individual flair from Kylian Mbappe and a solid spine of players has been the key to their success. The PSG prodigy is the tournament's top goal scorer, securing five goals and 2 assists. Les Bleus have a healthy balance of youth and experience, which is important in any tournament.
Deschamps has consistently been playing the 4-2-3-1 formation, a system that has been a recurring part of the France set up. His side can dominate the ball, with France registering an average possession stat of 53%. That said, their experience and quality allows Les Bleus to still win games even if they haven’t been dominant because they are so clinical.
France are a really dangerous side, and Mbappe’s presence often scares teams into making their whole game plan about stopping the PSG star. This means teams struggle to play their own game against Les Bleus.
ARGENTINA
An embarrassing defeat to Saudi Arabia has become a distant memory for Argentina, with Lionel Scaloni’s side going on a 5 game win streak. Lionel Messi’s presence accompanied by great team spirit has got Argentina this far. The Copa America winners have been resilient throughout this tournament, often responding well to setbacks.
Scaloni often rotates between 4-4-2, 5-3-2, and 4-3-3, with the various different formations reflecting his sides' versatility. Argentina have recorded an average possession stat of 58%, which shows that La Albiceleste can play teams off the park. Not to mention, Lionel Messi is one of the few players in world football that are truly magical. He can single handedly win games.
La Albiceleste are a quality side, and Messi’s contribution shows that you can never count them out. Similarly to Mbappe, Messi often forces teams into making their game plan all about stopping him. Argentina have proven to be a real force this tournament.
MY PREDICTION
So, my prediction for this game is a 2-1 Argentina win. I think Messi will finally win the World Cup. Like most high end games, I expect this game to be more of a chess match than a war. It will be tight and both teams will be patiently waiting for their opportunity to pounce. I think a world class pass from Messi will carve open the French backline, and Julian Alvarez will make it 1-0 to Argentina. I then believe a moment of brilliance from Mbappe will get France the equaliser in the second half. The game will then go to extra time, and Lionel Messi will score a last gasp winner to win Argentina the World Cup.
MY PREDICTED FRANCE 11 (FORMATION 4-2-3-1)
1 Hugo Lloris, 5 Jules Kounde, 4 Raphael Varane, 24 Ibrahima Konate, 22 Theo Hernandez, 8 Aurelien Tchouameni, 13 Youssouf Fofana, 10 Kylian Mbappe, 7 Antoine Griezmann, 11 Ousmane Dembele, 9 Olivier Giroud
MY PREDICTED ARGENTINA 11 (FORMATION 4-4-2)
23 Emiliano Martinez, 26 Nahuel Molina, 13 Cristian Romero, 19 Nicolas Otamendi, 3 Nicolas Tagliafico, 20 Alexis Mac Allister, 7 Rodrigo De Paul, 24 Enzo Fernandez, 5 Leandro Paredes, 9 Julian Alvarez, 10 Lionel Messi
