After 62 games, we have now reached the final couple of games of the 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament.
On Saturday, in the bronze medal game, Croatia and Morocco will face off hoping to get land a bronze medal after missing out in the semifinals earlier this week.
However, most of the attention will be focused on Sunday’s game at the Lusail where Argentina and France will clash again for the fourth time at a World Cup Finals and the first time in the final itself.
The game comes just four years after an exciting game at Russia 2018 in the Round of 16 which France won 4-3 on their way to World Cup success.
Of course, this is going to be a huge betting event for bookmakers, on a par with Grand National day in the UK, so it is well worth checking the odds available on the wide range of markets you can find at bet365 Sport.
Let’s now take a look at both the teams contesting Sunday’s final, as well as giving you a detailed look at each squad and of course, our best tips to back on the game.
FIFA World Cup Final 2022
Argentina v France
- Venue – Lusail Stadium
- Date – Sunday 18th December 2022
- Kick Off – 3pm UK Time
- Live On – BBC 1 and ITV
- Head To Head – Argentina Wins – 6, France Wins – 3, Draws – 3
- Last Match – Argentina 3-4 France (World Cup 2018 Round of 16)
- Latest Betting Odds (90 Mins) – Argentina – 9/5, France – 7/4, Draw – 2/1
This will be the fourth World Cup Finals match between the two teams. Argentina have won two of those games (in 1930 and in 1978) with France winning the most recent clash back in Russia 2018.
It will be the first time that the two teams have met in a World Cup Final.
As yet, no referee has been appointed for the game, with FIFA’s refereeing panel set to announce the referee for the final in the next couple of days.
Both teams have won the World Cup on two previous occasions. Argentina in 1978 and 1986 and France in 1998 and 2018. France have never lost a World Cup Final, winning on both their appearances, but Argentina have been beaten finalists in 1990 and 2014.
How Has Each Team Reached The World Cup Final?
Outlined below is how each team has progressed through the tournament to reach Sunday’s World Cup Final.
Argentina
Group Stage
- V Saudi Arabia – L 1-2 – Messi 10(p)
- V Mexico – W 2-0 – Messi 64, Fernandez.E 87
- V Poland – W 2-0 – Mac Allister 46, Alvarez 67
Round of 16
- V Australia – W 2-1 – Messi 35, Alvarez 57
Quarter Final
- V Netherlands – D 2-2 (W 4-3 on pens) – Molina 35, Messi 73(p)
Semi Final
- V Croatia – W 3-0 – Messi 34(p), Alvarez 39,69
Argentina’s Leading Scorers
- Messi – 5 goals
- Alvarez – 4 goals
- Molina, Fernandez, Mac Allister – 1 goal
Lionel Messi has been Argentina’s main man in the tournament so far, with Julio Alvarez weighing in with some key goals, especially in the latter stages of the tournament. Keeper Emi Martinez was the hero against Netherlands, saving two penalties to take Argentina through. This team is built to serve Messi’s talents and so far, the Saudi Arabia game apart, it has worked, but even with Messi in great form, this team does look beatable.
France
Group Stage
- V Australia – W 4-1 – Rabiot 27, Giroud 32,71, Mbappe 68
- V Denmark – W 2-1 – Mbappe 61.86
- V Tunisia – L 0-1
Round of 16
- V Poland – W 3-1 – Giroud 44, Mbappe 74,90+1
Quarter Final
- V England – W 2-1 – Tchouameni 17, Giroud 78
Semi Final
- V Morocco – W 2-0 – Hernandez.T 5, Muani 79
France’s Leading Goalscorers
- Mbappe – 5 goals
- Giroud – 4 goals
- Rabiot, Muani, Hernandez.T and Rabiot – 1 goal
Kylian Mbappe has been the catalyst for most of France’s best attacking movement, while Antoine Griezmann has been very influential in France’s wins over England and Morocco in particular. Defensively, the French have conceded in all but one of their World Cup games so far and they do look fallible but they have a great attack to get them out of trouble. Both teams are pretty similar and this is shaping up to be a great final.
Squad Comparison & Possible Teams
Let’s now take a look at how the two squads for each team shapes up:
Argentina Squad
Manager – Leonel Scaloni
- Franco Armani (River Plate – GK)
- Juan Foyth (Villarreal – DR)
- Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon – DL)
- Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla – DLC)
- Leandro Paredes (Juventus – MC)
- German Pezzela (Real Betis – DC)
- Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid – MRC)
- Marcos Acuna (Sevilla – DMRC)
- Julian Alvarez (Manchester City – AC)
- Lionel Messi (Paris St Germain – AMC)
- Angel Di Maria (Juventus – AMLC) – Injury Doubt
- Geronimo Rulli (Villarreal – GK)
- Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur – DC)
- Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen – MC)
- Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid – AC)
- Thiago Almada (Atlanta United – MLC)
- Alejandro Gomez (Sevilla – MRC) – Injury Doubt
- Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis – MC)
- Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica – DC)
- Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton – AMC)
- Paulo Dybala (AS Roma – AC)
- Lautaro Martinez (Inter – AC)
- Emi Martinez (Aston Villa – GK)
- Enzo Fernandez (Benfica – DMC)
- Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United – DC)
- Nahiel Molina (Atletico Madrid – DR)
Argentina Predicted Team – (4-4-2) – Emi Martinez (GK), Gonzalo Montiel (DR), Marcos Acuna (DL), Cristian Romero (DC), Nicolas Otamendi (DC), Enzo Fernandez (DMC), Leandro Paredes (MC), Rodrigo De Paul (MR), Alexis Mac Allister (ML), Julian Alvarez (AC), Lionel Messi (AC)
France Squad
Manager – Didier Deschamps
- Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur – GK)
- Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich – DRC)
- Axel Disasi (Monaco – DL)
- Raphael Varane (Manchester United – DC)
- Jules Kounde (Barcelona – DRC)
- Matteo Guendouzi (Marseille – MC)
- Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid – AMC)
- Aurielen Tchouameni (Real Madrid – MC)
- Olivier Giroud (AC Milan – AC)
- Kylian Mbappe (Paris St Germain – AMLC)
- Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona – AMR)
- Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt – AC)
- Youssouf Fofana (AS Monaco – MC)
- Adrien Rabiot (Juventus – MC) – Injury Doubt
- Jordan Veretout (Marseille – MRC)
- Steve Mandanda (Rennes – GK)
- William Saliba (Arsenal – DC)
- Dayot Upemecano (Bayern Munich – DC) – Injury Doubt
- Karim Benzema (Real Madrid – AC) – Out Injured
- Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich – AMR)
- Lucas Hernandez (Bayern Munich – DL) – Out Injured
- Theo Hernandez (AC Milan – DL)
- Alphonse Areola (West Ham United – GK)
- Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool – DC)
- Eduoardo Camavinga (Real Madrid – DMC)
- Marcus Thuram (Borussia Monchengladbach – AC)
France Predicted Team – (4-3-3) – Hugo Lloris (GK), Jules Kounde (DR), Theo Hernandez (DL), Raphael Varane (DC), Ibrahima Konate (DC Aurielen Tchouameni (MC), Youssouf Fofana (MC), Antoine Griezmann (AMC) Ousmane Dembele (AMR), Kylian Mbappe (AML), Oliver Giroud (AC)
What Kind Of World Cup Final Will We Get?
So much depends on how the early stages go of a World Cup Final. If nobody scores a goal, it can turn into a cagey game, but an early goal can open things right up as it did in the last final between France and Croatia.
For me, both these teams are superb in attack, with one footballing genius in their ranks, but they are suspect defensively. I think France have the better squad depth and are a more potent attacking force as a unit.
That said, I just have the feeling that this is Lionel Messi’s World Cup. The Argentineans have ridden their luck at times in this tournament but I think they could surprise the odds and pick up the victory here that would likely cement Messi’s status as the best player of all time.
Our 2022 FIFA World Cup Final Betting Tips
- Full Time Result – Argentina Win – 9/5
- Correct Score – Argentina to win 2-1 – 11/1
- Anytime Goalscorer – Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 7/4
- HT/FT – Draw – Argentina – 5/1
- Result/BTTS – Argentina & Yes – 11/2
- Result/Total Goals – Argentina & Over 2.5 Goals – 9/2
- Both Teams to Score – Yes – Evens