France and Argentina prepare for the World Cup final, Messi and Mbappe claim the Golden Boot
Опубликовано: 16-12-2022, 11:36, , 640, 0
Everything is set for the 2022 World Cup final, and it's going to be awesome. Lionel Messi and Argentina will take on Kylian Mbappe and defending champions France on December 18 at 10:00 am ET.
Will Messi be able to replicate the feat of Argentine icon Diego Maradona while cementing his status as the GOAT? Or will Mbappe and company be the first consecutive champions since Pelé and Brazil did it 60 years ago? Whatever the case, we can't wait to fight Sunday at the Lusail Iconic Stadium outside of Doha.
Be sure to check the 1win website throughout the tournament as we bring you the latest news from Qatar. Here's what you may have missed from Wednesday's World Cup events, and look ahead as we count down to Sunday's final.
Beating favorite teams Belgium, Spain and Portugal along the way, Morocco has shown that teams outside of the traditional realms of Europe and South America can compete on the game's biggest stage. It ended with a loss to France on Wednesday, wiped out by injuries and some uncharacteristic defensive errors, but history has been made.
Moroccan manager Walid Regraga's team arrived in Qatar with prominent players (Chelsea's Hakim Ziyeh, PSG's Hakim), but others, such as Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat and playmaker Anjera Azzedine Unai, became breakout stars and likely earned future moves to more big clubs.
By conceding an early goal to Theo Hernandez, Morocco scared France several times before a late goal from Colo Mouani sealed the match and sent Le Bleus to the final. Despite the loss, they would return from Qatar as heroes, although not before a couple of days. Next up is Saturday's third-place consolation match against Croatia, which on paper might not mean much. But given that we have a chance to leave the World Cup on a high note, we can all hope for one last bright moment.
Will Messi be able to replicate the feat of Argentine icon Diego Maradona while cementing his status as the GOAT? Or will Mbappe and company be the first consecutive champions since Pelé and Brazil did it 60 years ago? Whatever the case, we can't wait to fight Sunday at the Lusail Iconic Stadium outside of Doha.
Be sure to check the 1win website throughout the tournament as we bring you the latest news from Qatar. Here's what you may have missed from Wednesday's World Cup events, and look ahead as we count down to Sunday's final.
World Cup final: Messi, Argentina vs. Mbappe, France
Maybe already Sunday? Well, we have three full days before the World Cup final (and two before the repechage for third place between Croatia and Morocco), and we will have plenty of time to relax and review until then. But let's look at a couple of key points before France and Argentina take center stage:- At 1win, Argentina is a slight favorite to win the title over France, 53% to 47%.
- Star Hunt #3: France (1998, 2018) and Argentina (1978, 1986) will be in contention for their third world title. Only in Germany, Italy (four each) and Brazil (five each) are there more of these two sides. Les Bleus and La Albiceleste will also be aiming for their second non-host title outside the country, with both finalists winning their first home title on Sunday.
- This will be the fourth match between the two teams at the World Cup. Argentina beat France in the group stages in 1930 and 1978, while France emerged victorious in the round of 16 four years ago. Overall, Argentina leads the head-to-head series.
- Never before has a clubmate finished 1-2 in a World Cup Golden Boot race. If both finish tied after Sunday's match, the tiebreaker will be the player with the most assists. If it is also a tie, then that is the player with the fewest minutes played.
- Entering the field on Sunday, the 35-year-old Messi will overtake the great German Lothar Matthäus in the most World Cup appearances (26) among male players. With Croatia's goal on Tuesday, Messi passed Gabriel Batistuta for the most goals (11) in Argentine men's history, with Maradona scoring eight.
- Mbappe aims to become the second youngest player to win two world titles. This would be an impressive achievement for a 23-year-old athlete, because he is only Pele (two-time winner by the age of 22) in front of him.
Despite losing to France, Morocco finished on a high note.
Whatever the outcome, this Moroccan team has already written its names into World Cup history by becoming the first team from Africa to reach the semi-finals of the tournament. The Atlas Lions were also the first team from the Arab countries to reach the final four and supported their great campaign around the world.Beating favorite teams Belgium, Spain and Portugal along the way, Morocco has shown that teams outside of the traditional realms of Europe and South America can compete on the game's biggest stage. It ended with a loss to France on Wednesday, wiped out by injuries and some uncharacteristic defensive errors, but history has been made.
Moroccan manager Walid Regraga's team arrived in Qatar with prominent players (Chelsea's Hakim Ziyeh, PSG's Hakim), but others, such as Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat and playmaker Anjera Azzedine Unai, became breakout stars and likely earned future moves to more big clubs.
By conceding an early goal to Theo Hernandez, Morocco scared France several times before a late goal from Colo Mouani sealed the match and sent Le Bleus to the final. Despite the loss, they would return from Qatar as heroes, although not before a couple of days. Next up is Saturday's third-place consolation match against Croatia, which on paper might not mean much. But given that we have a chance to leave the World Cup on a high note, we can all hope for one last bright moment.
