Argentina vs France LIVE: World Cup final 2022 score and latest updates – Angel Di Maria starts with Lionel Messi against Kylian Mbappe at Lusail Stadium

Qatar put on dazzling display of lights for World Cup 2022 closing ceremony

Argentina face France in the World Cup final in Qatar as Lionel Messi faces one last chance to win football’s greatest prize. Messi’s final appearance at the World Cup could see the 35-year-old win the tournament for the first time, perhaps cementing his position as the greatest player in the history of the sport.

Standing in Messi and Argentina’s way are the defending champions France, as Les Bleus aim to become the first team in 60 years to win back-to-back World Cups. France forward Kylian Mbappe comes into the final level with Messi at the top of the golden boot standings on five goals, as two of the game’s biggest stars go head to head on the grandest stage.

It will decide a World Cup that has produced shocks and stunning moments on the pitch, while being dominated by controversy off the field in Qatar. But amid coverage of the host country’s human rights record, treatment of migrant workers and attitude to LGBTQ+ rights, Qatar has also been presented with a dream final where history will be made.

Will Messi achieve immortality by finally winning the World Cup, or can France spoil the party to defend their title? Follow all the action in our live blog, below: 

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Will France go back-to-back?

France have reached the World Cup final for a fourth time, all since 1998. This is twice as many as any other nation in this period.

On top of that Les Bleus are looking to become only the third nation to win back-to-back World Cups, after Italy (1934-38) and Brazil (1958-62).

Michael Jones18 December 2022 14:51

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Lionel Messi’s day of destiny is a rare shot at World Cup final redemption

In the Argentina camp, there’s an encouraging line they’ve now heard from Lionel Messi a lot through this World Cup, but that has some lament to it. The 35-year-old has been repeatedly saying how much he is enjoying this World Cup, before occasionally offering a wistful caveat.

“I would have liked to enjoy more of the games with the national team.”

Some of that sentiment is down to the “s***” he says the team suffered after the shock defeat to Saudi Arabia. Some of it is down to everything that came before, and the circus around a significant number of those 171 international appearances. There were the three lost finals between 2014 and 2016, with Messi admitting to friends he has woken up in the middle of the night thinking of the Maracana eight years ago, when Argentina lost to Germany in the World Cup final. There was all the pressure, even some bad feeling.

Michael Jones18 December 2022 14:48

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Messi or Alvarez?

Lionel Messi or Julian Alvarez are in the running to become the third Argentine player to win the Golden Boot at the World Cup after Guillermo Stabile in 1930 and Mario Kempes in 1978.

However, they face competition from Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud who are also in with a chance of lifting the Golden Boot.

(EPA)

Michael Jones18 December 2022 14:45

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‘Like a home game for Argentina’

Here’s our Assistant Sports Editor, Lawrence Ostlere, with an update from the Lusail Stadium just ahead of kick off:

“Twenty minutes to go until kick-off at the Lusail Stadium, and both teams are out on the pitch warming up.

“It has been incredibly busy en route from Doha with traffic jams and reports of problems on the metro too, but the stadium is starting to slowly fill up now.

“Most people here are supporting Argentina – it is going to be almost like a home game for them with the majority of fans willing Lionel Messi to finally lift the World Cup.”

Michael Jones18 December 2022 14:41

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Can Argentina emulate Spain?

Argentina could become the second side in World Cup history to lose their opening game and go on to lift the trophy, emulating Spain’s World Cup win from 2010.

Michael Jones18 December 2022 14:39

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Lionel Messi has mastered a football like no one else. But is that enough to be among the gods?

Lionel Messi has been on this planet for 35 years, five months and 24 days, and for most of that time he has dreamt of winning the World Cup. But at around 8pm on Sunday in Lusail he will stop dreaming; whether Messi joins Pele and Diego Maradona among the pantheon of legendary World Cup winners will be known, and it will never be rewritten.

From then on he will either be the man who won the World Cup or the man who didn’t, one match defining a career already packed full of historic moments, and the strange part is there’s only so much he can do about it. Messi will have the ball at his feet for about 60-90 seconds over the course of the final, and the reality is that many of the finer details of the most important game of his life will be beyond his control.

At the end of it all, his legacy may come down to a penalty shootout, and perhaps a single swing of someone else’s boot. Angel Di Maria delivered the match-winning touch of the 2021 Copa America final to finally win Messi an international trophy, and something similar might happen on Sunday; his destiny may lie with a teammate like Lautaro Martinez, a man who has mostly looked lost in Qatar, holding his nerve from 12 yards.

Michael Jones18 December 2022 14:36

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What do the winners of France vs Argentina earn?

Prestige, a shot at immortality and a chance to lift the iconic Jules Rimet trophy will likely be the main motivators but there is also additional prize money up for grabs for the World Cup final winners.

With a total prize pot of £362m dished out for the tournament, the spoils will be shared by all 32 teams – with those who have progressed further getting a greater slice of the pie.

Fifa allows each competing nation to decide what share of the prize money their players receive, so the exact sum that each player takes home varies from country to country.

The winners of today’s final between Argentina and France will earn £34.6m for lifting the trophy with the losers securing £24.7m, so the outcome of the final is worth a £9.9m increase in prize money.

Luke Baker18 December 2022 14:33

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Scaloni emotional ahead of final

Argentina boss, Lionel Scaloni says he is already emotional over the prospect of his team playing in the World Cup final and hopes that they win the trophy as reward for all the work that has gone into their campaign.

“I’m already getting emotional because they’ve given everything sincerely,” said Scaloni. “Let’s hope we win the title and if it can’t be, they should be proud, because it’s a moment to enjoy.”

(AFP via Getty Images)

Luke Baker18 December 2022 14:29

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Atmosphere building for Argentina vs France

The atmosphere is building nicely around the Lusail Stadium with both sets of fans represented. There are plenty more supporting Argentina over France which is to be expected with people hoping Lionel Messi can finally win the World Cup.

(PA)

(Getty Images)

(Getty Images)

(Getty Images)

Luke Baker18 December 2022 14:26

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Messi vs Mbappe sees immoral World Cup set for an immortal conclusion

Deschamps may have all the composure that comes with potentially being just the second coach in history to retain the trophy, but he is well aware that some players start to feel an anxious energy they can’t contain, with the knowledge that every individual could go down in history – for good or bad – infusing every moment.

As such, he of course tells the players to keep it simple. Individual roles are reduced to the most memorable missives. There is one common instruction, though.

“Get it to Kylian as soon as you can.”

Luke Baker18 December 2022 14:22