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      Harry Redknapp: I’ve been mesmerised by Lionel Messi… but winning the World Cup will NOT settle football’s GOAT race

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      I PLAYED against Pele. I marvelled at Maradona. I’ve been mesmerised by Messi.If the little guy lifts the World Cup on Sunday, it will be a great way to top off an amazing career.
      Lionel Messi has the world in his hands but still can’t grasp the title of best ever just by helping Argentina beat FranceCredit: Getty
      Messi’s modern-day rival Cristiano Ronaldo, 37, is destined to never win the World Cup after Portugal crashed out to Morocco in the quarter-finalsCredit: Getty
      But it won’t stop the arguments about whether he is better than Cristiano Ronaldo.
      Let alone where he stands in the all-time debate.
      I find it tough and I’ve had more experience than most of some of the greats and what they meant in the game.
      I was always a big Pele fan. Look at the amount of goals he scored, including two in the World Cup final when he was 17, the first of three he won with Brazil.
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      A few times at West Ham we came up against his Santos team, then I played in America when he was at the New York Cosmos.
      He had everything. He was so strong, as well as everything else.
      All those things you see modern players doing everywhere on TV or social media — Pele probably did them first.
      Maradona was incredible. To turn a team, Napoli, around like he did and win two Serie A titles was an amazing achievement. Then, of course, he led Argentina to World Cup glory in Mexico in 1986.
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      You also have to remember that Pele was kicked from pillar to post. Teams would go out and try to absolutely finish him. He was fouled out of the 1966 World Cup.
      It was pretty much the same for Maradona. There’s that stat about when Argentina played Italy in the 1982 World Cup and Claudio Gentile is supposed to have fouled him 23 times. And he only got a yellow card.
      People have still steamed into Ronaldo and Messi but nothing like the way that those two were targeted and hurt in their day.
      That’s a big reason why it’s hard and unfair to make comparisons across the years.
      Other candidates?
      I was playing in the England youth set-up at the same time Johan Cruyff was coming through in Holland, so we all knew about him from an early age.
      All those things you see modern players doing everywhere on TV or social media — Pele probably did them first.Harry Redknapp
      He was a fantastic talent, the best player in that Total Football side. But what’s also amazing about him is what he did after playing. He changed the game so much as a coach, too.
      George Best was a rival and friend. He was also a genius. He never had the chance to show it in a World Cup, which tells against him in these kind of conversations.
      And he had a short career at the top level compared to Pele, Maradona, Messi and Ronaldo.
      I have to say there’s no one that jumps out at me at this World Cup and says he’s going to take over from Messi and Ronaldo when they retire.
      People talk about Kylian Mbappe. He has great ability, no doubt about that. But he’s out of the game too much. Sometimes you don’t see him for ten or 15 minutes.
      Brazil legend Pele celebrates winning the World Cup in 1970 after also lifting the top prize in 1958 and 1962Credit: Getty
      The late George Best is arguably the most famous name in Man Utd’s historyCredit: PA:Press Association
      He played in flashes against England but not so well to make you go, “Oh, my god”.
      Kyle Walker did a good job on him but it would have been harder to do that to the others.
      You couldn’t mark Messi out of the game. He would always be involved. Maradona, Pele the same.  Messi, when he picks the ball up and runs with it, it’s like it’s tied to his laces.
      It’s incredible. His passes, and one-twos — I love it and always have done over the years watching Spanish football on TV when he was playing for Barcelona.
      Messi has had an amazing World Cup. Everyone thought he was finished. After their opening-game defeat against Saudi Arabia, everyone thought Argentina were finished.
      I’m glad they’ve proved people wrong.
      Partly because the football romantic in me likes the idea of Messi going out in style.
      But I also have to admit to having a little bet before the tournament — Argentina to win it and Messi to be top goalscorer.
      Both are looking quite strong, so I’ve definitely got an interest in today’s final.
      Just don’t ask me to put money on who’s the best player of all time — that race will never end.
      WE CAN PHIL IT COMING
      THIS World Cup was a big chance missed for England. But it will come again!
      Because we have a fantastic group of young players. I think we had the best squad in the tournament.
      Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham, they’re kids with two, three, or four tournaments left.
      Surely we will find a way of winning a tournament.  We can’t keep being unlucky.
      I still think we can be a bit bolder in our selection.
      We did play well against France so it’s hard to criticise.
      But it would be great to find room for a No 10, whether it’s Foden or whoever. We’re still a bit negative.
      Gareth must look at it and think, ‘Hang on, I’ve got a real chance here’.
      If it was an ageing squad, ‘I’m not going to do anything with this lot, there’s only one way from here and that’s down’, then…
      But it’s not. He has a real opportunity to win something. The Euros are in 18 months.
      I’d be surprised if he moved on. People ask who could take over if he goes. But remember Gareth didn’t come into the job with an amazing record as a club manager.
      If he stays, great. If he doesn’t, whoever gets the job has a great chance to be successful.
      CHAMP DESCHAMPS
      Only one manager has won two World Cups — and that was before even I was born.
      Didier Deschamps is already in that very small group of those who have been world champ as both player and coach.
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      Now he could join an even more exclusive club with Vittorio Pozzo, Italy boss in 1934 and ’38.
      When you look at the players France are missing, it’s a great achievement. Not bad for someone Eric Cantona once dismissed as “a water carrier”. More

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      World Cup 2022 LIVE: Gareth Southgate will STAY as England boss, Benzema’s Instagram SNUB as Croatia finish THIRD

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      GARETH SOUTHGATE will STAY on as England manager.Southgate is set to give the Football Association the perfect Christmas present by telling them of his decision this week.
      There were talks about the World Cup being Southgate’s last rodeo as Three Lions manager but he has now decided to continue as boss into the Euro 2024 campaign.
      Meanwhile, Karim Benzema appears to have snubbed the possibility of making a shock appearance for the French squad in Sunday’s final against Argentina.
      The Ballon d’Or winner posted a snap of himself and captioned it “I’m not interested.”
      Elsehwere, Croatia finished third at the World Cup after beating Morocco 2-1 in the playoff clash.

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      Stay tuned with all the latest from the tournament…
      Perfect send off
      Argentina hope to give superstar Lionel Messi the ultimate World Cup knees-up.
      Messi, 35, will feature in the tournament for the last time against reigning champs France in the final inside the Lusail Stadium.
      And Qatari World Cup chiefs want to host a parade for the winners along Lusail Boulevard after the stadium presentation.
      Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni said: “I hope Leo wins and then says goodbye by lifting the Cup.
      “It would be the best possible stage for him to say goodbye.
      “The most important thing is to enjoy it — and what better setting than a World Cup final to do so.”
      Mbappe’s World Cup
      Kylian Mbappe played for a £1.75 plastic trophy in his very first “World Cup final”.
      He also promised to buy a colouring book for his team-mate if they won.
      Back when Mbappe was a small boy, he had posters of Cristiano Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane and Neymar — now his team-mate at Paris Saint-Germain — adorning his bedroom wall.
      And winning his school tournament was a matter of “life or death”.
      Mbappe, 23, recalled: “Me and my friends, we did not hope to become footballers.
      “We did not expect, we did not plan — we dreamed.
      “I remember we had this tournament at our school — all the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth graders — and it was our World Cup.
      “We were playing for this £1.75 plastic trophy, but we treated it like it was life or death. Your honour is always at stake.
      “And it’s funny, because the rule was that every team had to be mixed. Girls and boys.
      “Well, unfortunately, not all the girls wanted to play in the tournament, so we had to really negotiate.
      “I remember telling my friend that if she gave everything on the pitch and we won the cup, I would buy her a new colouring book. I was begging her.
      “Maybe you think I’m exaggerating — but it really meant everything to us.
      “We played for this £1.75 cup like it was the Jules Rimet Trophy. That’s just how it was.
      “I’m sure it was difficult for my teachers. To them, I really apologise.
      “I remember coming home from school one day with nine different warnings from the principal.
      “Kylian did not do his homework; Kylian forgot his school supplies; Kylian was talking about football during maths.
      “My head was in the clouds.”
      World Cup final ref annoyed Tuchel
      Polish referee Szymon Marciniak will make history as the first man from his country to take charge of a World Cup final.
      But he is the official who infuriated former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel after the club’s Champions League quarter-final second-leg clash against Real Madrid last season.
      Marciniak, 41, was the man in charge when the Blues won 3-2 after extra time only to lose 5-4 on aggregate.
      Tuchel was fuming with Marciniak after Marcos Alonso had a goal ruled out by VAR for handball in the 62nd minute.
      And at the end of the game, Tuchel went to shake hands with the ref who was caught laughing with Real boss Carlo Ancelotti.
      Tuchel said: “I think this is very, very bad timing – and I told him that.”
      Southgate to stay
      Gareth will stay on as England boss.
      Southgate is set to give the Football Association the perfect Christmas present by telling them of his decision this week.
      The Three Lions boss believed for months the World Cup would be his last tournament in charge and felt the same in the immediate aftermath of the quarter-final defeat by France.
      But now he is ready to commit to lead the team to Euro 2024 in Germany.
      The news came as Newcastle boss Eddie Howe – who was being linked with the job – said he hoped Southgate would continue with the “magnificent job” he was doing.
      The FA will be hugely relieved about Southgate’s change of heart.
      Infantino mocked by fans
      Fans have been taking great joy from mocking FIFA president Gianni Infantino for his footwear during the World Cup third-place playoff.
      The 52-year-old was spotted wearing custom Adidas trainers as he congratulated the Croatian side on their win.

      The Europeans beat African side Morocco 2-1 in the match to claim third place in the World Cup.
      Josko Gvardiol opened the scoring before Achraf Dari equalised for Morocco. But Mislav Orsic netted the winner in the 42nd minute to give his side the victory.
      But Infantino took the attention of the fans with his trainers, which had “FIFA” printed on the side of them.
      And fans could not help but poke fun at him on social media as one said: “Infantino’s shoes are so tragic”.
      Giroud could be benched
      France could make a shock roll of the dice in the World Cup final by dropping Olivier Giroud to the bench.
      Giroud has started five games out of six for Les Bleus in Qatar, but after seeing himself substituted in the 65th minute of the semi-final against Morocco his place in the team is now in jeopardy.
      Didier Deschamps gave Marcus Thuram a run out against the North African nation.
      And this move proved to be effective as they appeared more lively without the former Arsenal and Chelsea ace on the pitch.
      While Giroud has been an ever-present for France at both the 2018 World Cup and this year’s tournament, Deschamps could now change up his formula in an effort to beat Argentina.
      French outlet L’Equipe have reported that during the first part of France training today, Deschamps experimented by playing Thuram on the left flank and placing Kylian Mbappe through the centre.
      Ronaldo’s cryptic message
      Cristiano Ronaldo has posted a cryptic video on social media suggesting that people “don’t know him”.
      The 37-year-old is currently a free agent after his contract was mutually terminated at Manchester United.

      This was the result of the fallout of his explosive interview with Piers Morgan before jetting off for the World Cup in Qatar with Portugal.
      Ronaldo uploaded the cryptic video to his Instagram story in which he filmed around his gym while shirtless.
      He is the most followed person on the platform, with over 517 million people following him.
      During the video, a Portuguese song can be heard in which the lyrics translate to “You don’t know about me. Don’t cry more for me”.
      Neville claim
      Gary Neville has claimed he was told a year ago why Manchester City were willing to allow Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus to leave – and it was Argentina ace Julian Alvarez.
      He told Sky Sports’ World Cup podcast: “I was told a year ago when City let Jesus and Sterling go – because I was quite surprised that City let both go at the same time – that this kid [Alvarez] was the reason.
      “Someone said that to me, that is quite close to City, that he was the reason and they didn’t want to block his path.”
      Martinez’s tears
      New footage has emerged of an emotional Lisandro Martinez breaking down in tears during an interview with an Argentine journalist, after beating the Netherlands.
      The Man Utd defender was spotted crying with joy, before receiving a hug from TV interviewer Diego Korol.
      Martinez struggled to get out many words.
      But he did declare: “[This victory is] to my grandparents who are no longer here.”
      Croatia seal third
      Whatever happens, at least one little genius of a No 10 has signed off from the World Cup on a high.
      Luka Modric will watch Lionel Messi try to write the final chapter to his fairytale in today’s final and wonder what might have been.

      But Croatia’s captain and greatest ever player ended his career on the biggest stage of all as a winner.
      And the two goals that earned him that pleasure were things of beauty.
      Centre back Josko Gvardiol put being tormented by Messi behind him by heading home after a glorious free-kick routine.
      Morocco equalised immediately in a crazy two minutes that set the tone for one of the most entertaining games of the tournament.
      But Mislav Orsic’s beautiful strike just before the break ultimately proved enough to ensure Croatia would match the third place they secured in 1998.
      Argie’s x-rated English song
      An X-rated anti-English Argentina song has become the most played song in the country after players sang it in the dressing room.
      Following their World Cup semi-final win over Croatia, a video emerged of the team celebrating in the dressing room with a chant which references the Falklands War.
      And the song seems to have caught on back home, with it flying up the charts to become the most played song on Spotify in the country.
      Globo report the song, known as “Muchachos”, was played more than 500,000 times in a single day.
      Defender Nicolas Otamendi filmed shirtless Argentina players singing “Ingleses putos de Malvinas no me olvido”, which has a rough translation of “f***ing English in the Falklands, I don’t forget”.

      Kramaric injury blow
      Andrej Kramaric’s World Cup ended in tears as he hobbled off injured.
      The Croatian striker was offside when he received the ball and tried a cross from the right.

      However, in delivering the ball in, the striker damaged his knee and immediately went down with no contact from the defender.
      And he was eventually helped off the field by medics in floods of tears.
      France kit jinx
      Kit manufacturer Nike may have jinxed France’s chances against Argentina.
      That’s by putting a “three-star” kit on sale BEFORE Sunday’s World Cup final.

      And France now risk embarrassment should they fail to defend their trophy against Lionel Messi.
      Didier Deschamps’ men are looking to become the first side to win two successive World Cups since Brazil in 1962.
      France’s victory in Russia over four years ago was their second triumph in the competition, having broken their duck on home soil in 1998.
      But kit sponsors Nike appear confident that Kylian Mbappe and Co are on course for a third triumph.
      Brilliant First-Half
      If Croatia and Morocco were on a mission to prove the value of the third-placed play-off, they could not be doing a better job of it so far.
      An exciting first 45 sees Croatia go into the break leading 2-1 after an outstanding strike by Mirslav Orsic.
      Second-half to come soon and you can follow all the action with our dedicated blog here.
      A Tale of Two Strikers
      With all the talk of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe dominating tomorrow’s World Cup Final, it’s easy to forget about two other heroes of this tournament.
      France’s Olivier Giroud and Julian Alvarez of Argentina have enjoyed outstanding campaigns and both are still in with a shout of winning the Golden Boot.
      While at different stages of their careers, they have both successfully acted as foils for teammates while providing crucial goals throughout the tournament.
      Alvarez will be desperate not to be outshone by his opposite number tomorrow – he gets enough of that with Erling Haaland at Manchester City.
      What a start
      Croatia were in front in the third-place play off as the man in the mask, Josko Gvardiol, flew in like a superhero with a diving header from eight yards out.
      But Morocco hit back almost immediately as a free-kick fired into the box was headed in by defender Achraf Dari.
      What a game so far. Follow it all here.
      Fighting for Bronze
      We’re well underway at the Khalifa International Stadium as Croatia and Morocco face-off in the third-place play-off.
      Follow all the action with our commentary here.
      Kar Blimey
      France manager Didier Deschamps has confirmed Karim Benzema will not play in the World Cup final.
      There had been some hope that the Real Madrid striker might make a surprise return from injury tomorrow.
      An angry Deschamps, annoyed about being asked about the forward, snapped at a reporter: “Are you spreading the word among foreign journalists?
      “If I don’t answer, you’ll say I’m p***ed off. 
      “Some players have been injured and Karim Benzema is one of them and Lucas Hernandez got injured in the first game. 
      “So now I am focusing on my 24-man squad and they are the ones I will have at my disposal tomorrow.”
      Injuries take their toll
      After limping off against France, neither Nayef Aguerd nor Romain Saiss have been deemed fit enough to start for Morocco against Croatia.
      The third-place play-off kicks off at 3pm and every kick can be followed here.

      Croatian Changes
      Zlatko Dalic has rung the changes as he looks to give some football to players who haven’t featured heavily in this tournament.
      Luka Modric retains his place in midfield in what could be his last World Cup match. The third-place play off kicks off at 3pm and can be followed here.

      ‘Like we are playing in Argentina’
      Emi Martinez has praised Argentina fans who have made the team feel at home.
      South Americans are expected to pack out the Lusail Iconic Stadium for tomorrow’s World Cup Final against France.
      And the goalkeeper said: “We feel our fans very closely in every match in every stadium, it’s like we are playing a local match.
      “We feel that before the match, during the match, we feel their support. It feels like we are playing in Argentina, in our country which is a huge advantage.”
      Happy Ending?
      Lionel Messi may finally land the World Cup in his final game in the tournament tomorrow.
      Unfortunately 37-year-old Luka Modric won’t get that grand finale but, in what could be his last World Cup game this afternoon, he will be hoping to land the consolation of third-place by beating Morocco this afternoon.
      Luka Modric will lead Croatia against Morocco this afternoon in the third-place play-off
      Regragui Ready
      Morocco boss Walid Regragui said his side are taking today’s third-place play-off against Croatia seriously.
      The African nation stunned Qatar by getting all the way to the World Cup semi-finals before losing to France.
      Regragui said: “We would like things to have gone differently and played in the final. But there is another game to play and we would like to be on the podium.”
      Walid Regragui has his eyes on the prize as Morocco look to take bronze this afternoon
      ‘They resemble us’
      Croatian boss Zlatko Dalic says Morocco’s run to the semi-final “resembles” what Croatia did in 2018.
      The pair are set to meet in this afternoon’s third-place play-off and Dalic was keen to pay tribute to his opponents.
      The Croatian manager said: “They resemble us from four years ago, no-one expected them to go so far. They have deserved to be where they are.
      “They have matured and developed and went to a higher level with every game. They have grown into a team that are full of energy and self-motivated.
      “They are definitely the most pleasant and biggest surprise from this World Cup.”
      24 Days Later
      A lot has happened since Morocco and Croatia met in the World Cup group stages 24 days ago.
      Few would have guessed, following their bore 0-0 draw, that Morocco would go on to beat Belgium, top their group, eliminate Spain and Portugal and push France all the way in the semi-final.
      Now they are set to take on Croatia again in the third-place play-off in a rare instance of two sides meeting twice in one World Cup.
      This was how the stats looked during their 0-0 draw last time out.

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      Gareth Southgate will STAY as England boss for Euro 2024 as he eyes one more crack at ending Three Lions trophy hoodoo

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      GARETH SOUTHGATE will stay on as England boss.Southgate is set to give the Football Association the perfect Christmas present by telling them of his decision this week.
      Gareth Southgate is staying on as England boss for Euro 2024Credit: Reuters
      The Three Lions boss believed for months the World Cup would be his last tournament in charge and felt the same in the immediate aftermath of the quarter-final defeat by France.
      But now he is ready to commit to lead the team to Euro 2024 in Germany.
      The news came as Newcastle boss Eddie Howe – who was being linked with the job – said he hoped Southgate would continue with the “magnificent job” he was doing.
      The FA will be hugely relieved about Southgate’s change of heart.
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      He set alarm bells ringing by refusing to commit to seeing out his contract after the France defeat.
      Southgate, 52, said he needed time to think about whether he had the energy for another tournament campaign.
      Although England players told him that they wanted him to stay, he remained in two minds.
      Southgate was hurt by criticism during the disastrous Nations League campaign, especially the hostile reaction from fans to the 4-0 home defeat by Hungary in June.
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      He had to be talked out of publicly announcing his intention to quit after the World Cup but still thought he would go, no matter what happened in Qatar.
      Now, after a week of soul-searching, Southgate has changed his mind and wants one more crack at leading England to tournament glory.

      Although the Three Lions went out in the last eight after reaching the semi-finals in Russia and last year’s final of the Euros, Southgate believes the team showed real signs of progress.
      He was delighted by the performance of young players like Jude Bellingham and is excited by what they could do in the future.
      And he feels that the public were more accepting of the France defeat than of previous disappointments because England had played better and more on the front foot.
      It is understood Southgate met assistant Steve Holland on Friday and the pair agreed they would continue the job they began in 2016.
      Howe is among the England fans who will be delighted by the news.
      Howe, speaking after Newcastle’s 2-1 friendly win over Spanish side Rayo Vallecano, said: “I hope Gareth continues and carries on the magnificent job he has done – that is my wish for him – my only focus Is Newcastle United.
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      “I thought England were really unlucky and in my opinion they were the better team against France but sometimes the better team doesn’t win.
      “I was watching like everyone else English, hoping for an England win, but it didn’t happen, which is a real shame because overall in the tournament they played very well.” More

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      World Cup fans mock Gianni Infantino as Fifa chief spotted wearing CUSTOM Adidas trainers with his suit

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      FANS have been taking great joy from mocking Fifa president Gianni Infantino for his footwear during the World Cup third-place playoff.The 52-year-old was spotted wearing CUSTOM Adidas trainers as he congratulated the Croatian side on their win.
      Fifa President Gianni Infantino has been mocked by fans for his trainersCredit: Getty
      The white Adidas trainers with ‘FIFA’ printed on the side caused a stir on social mediaCredit: Reuters
      The Europeans beat African side Morocco 2-1 in the match to claim third place in the World Cup.
      Josko Gvardiol opened the scoring before Achraf Dari equalised for Morocco. But Mislav Orsic netted the winner in the 42nd minute to give his side the victory.
      But Infantino took the attention of the fans with his trainers, which had “FIFA” printed on the side of them.
      And fans could not help but poke fun at him on social media as one said: “Infantino’s shoes are so tragic”.
      READ MORE ON THE WORLD CUP
      A second wrote: “Fifa, you need to get rid of Infantino purely for wearing white trainers with a suit”.
      A third commented: “Gianni Infantino always looks like a lad in a suit whose ‘good shoes’ are killing him so he wears his runners for watching the footie and getting his steps in”.
      A fourth added: “Infantino: suit, tie and white trainers. Like wearing shoes in the swimming pool”.
      A fifth tweeted: “White trainers with a massive logo on the tongue. Mmmm.”
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      Infantino has also received criticism for his plans for more winter World Cup tournaments.
      Premier League chiefs have suggested that the idea could ruin two seasons of domestic football due to the required six-week mid-campaign break. More

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      When is Argentina vs France – World Cup final 2022? Stream FREE, TV channel, kick-off time for HUGE showpiece event

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      ARGENTINA take on France in a HUGE World Cup final on Sunday afternoon.Croatia fell victim to a Lionel Messi masterclass in Tuesday’s dominant semi-final encounter as Argentina went through.

      The Argentine legend opened the scoring with an expertly-taken penalty, and went on a mesmerising run before setting up Julian Alvarez for their third on the night.
      But things will certainly be tougher for the little magician as he will be taking on a French side that managed to stop high-flying Morocco in their semi-final.
      Messi has created a thrilling final chapter to his World Cup career and the magician will arguably go down as the greatest footballer EVER should he replicate what Diego Maradona did in 1986.
      However, a win for Les Bleus would see them become the first nation in 60 years to achieve successive World Cup triumphs.
      Read more on World Cup 2022
      How did they get here?
      Argentina suffered a nightmare start to their tournament with a shock 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia.
      But they battled back to top Group C with 2-0 wins over Mexico and Poland, setting up a last-16 meeting with Australia.
      After seeing off the Socceroos 201, they scraped past Holland on penalties in the quarters before breezing past Croatia.
      France also won two and lost one of their group games – although their defeat to Tunisia came after beating Australia and Denmark.
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      Les Bleus saw off Poland and then beat England in that dramatic quarter-final before eventually ending Morocco’s run on Wednesday night to secure their place in back-to-back finals.
      What is the team news and any injuries to worry about?
      Neither side have any suspensions to deal with after yellow cards were wiped after the quarters and may well be unchanged after semi-final wins.
      Argentina can welcome back full-backs Marcos Acuna and Gonzalo Montiel from their one-match bans while Lisandro Martinez may return to the starting XI if Lionel Scaloni goes for a back five.
      Dayot Upamecano and Adrien Rabiot sat out of the Morocco win with illness as France kept their first clean sheet – but will be hopeful of coming back in.
      The rest of the team should stay the same – although Karim Benzema could be a shock inclusion on the bench as he is back in Real Madrid training.

      Who will be the star men?
      Well, obviously Messi and Kylian Mbappe are the two main men for their respective nations – and all eyes will be on who comes out on top.
      Elsewhere, Julian Alvarez will want to continue on from his two goals in the semi-final while Enzo Fernandez may be tasked with stopping Antoine Griezmann.
      On the other side, Griezmann and Olivier Giroud will fancy their chances of scoring in the final.
      Aurelien Tchouameni is in strong form in midfield while Raphael Varane will lead his back line.

      What’s the head to head?
      The two heavyweights of international football have met 12 times in total – the first time coming in the first World Cup in 1930.
      Argentina have six wins, France have three wins while there have been three draws.
      But the French side came out on top in their most-recent clash – a thrilling 4-3 win in the last 16 of Russia 2018.
      SunSport prediction
      Argentina 3-2 France
      When is Argentina vs France?

      Argentina’s eye-catching World Cup final contest against France will take place on Sunday, December 18.
      It is scheduled to kick off at 3pm UK time.
      Lusail Iconic Stadium in Qatar is the allocated arena for this mammoth final fixture and it can host a whopping 88,966 spectators.
      Kylian Mbappe’s second-half double sent Argentina crashing out of the World Cup when the sides last met in 2018.

      What TV channel is Argentina vs France on and can it be live streamed?

      The World Cup final between Argentina and France will be shown LIVE on both BBC One and ITV 1.
      Coverage on BBC One is set to commence from 1.50pm UK time while ITV 1 get their show on the road from 1.30pm UK time.
      Viewers can also head to BBC iPlayer or ITV X if they prefer to stream the action online via tablet and mobile devices.
      You can listen to radio coverage of the match on talkSPORT – stream online, via smartphone apps or DAB radio.

      Can I watch the World Cup final for free?
      YES! The mouth-watering World Cup final in Qatar can be watched for FREE on both channels as long as you hold a valid TV licence in the UK.
      What are the odds?
      Argentina win 9/5
      Draw 2/1
      Read More on The Sun
      France victory 9/5
      Odds courtesy of Betfair correct as of December 16.
      Lionel Messi can seal his international career with a World Cup triumphCredit: Getty
      France have booked their spot in the World Cup finalCredit: AFP More

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      Olivier Giroud could start on the BENCH in France’s World Cup final clash with Argentina as Deschamps mulls shock change

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      FRANCE could make a shock roll of the dice in the World Cup final by dropping Olivier Giroud to the bench.Giroud has started five games out of six for Les Bleus in Qatar, but after seeing himself substituted in the 65th minute of the semi-final against Morocco his place in the team is now in jeopardy.
      Olivier Giroud is facing the France axe in the finalCredit: AP
      France could opt to play Kylian Mbappe through the middle against Argentina
      Didier Deschamps gave Marcus Thuram a run out against the tournament’s surprise package in the last-four.
      And this move proved to be effective as they appeared more lively without the former Arsenal and Chelsea ace on the pitch.
      Giroud was an ever-present for France when they won the 2018 World Cup and the only game he missed this time around was when Deschamps rested his starters in the final group game.
      But the French boss could now change up his formula in an effort to beat Argentina.
      READ MORE ON THE WORLD CUP
      French outlet L’Equipe have reported that during the first part of France training today, Deschamps experimented by playing Thuram on the left flank and placing Kylian Mbappe through the centre.
      Another change to his usual team saw Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate paired in central defence.
      Such a move could indicate Raphael Varane may not be available for the final owing to his recent battle with illness.
      But if he is fit to play then it would be very surprising to see one of the key figures of the victorious 2018 campaign and their Qatar run to the final not play.
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      The France camp has been ravaged in recent days by a flu-like virus spreading among the group, throwing a dent into their preparations.
      Reports earlier today revealed Varane and Konate were present at lunch with the rest of the team while Kingsley Coman was still ill.
      Furthermore, injuries to Aurelien Tchouameni (hip) and Theo Hernandez (knee) added to the French woes as FIVE stars missed training yesterday.
      However, all of them returned to training on Saturday night to hand Deschamps a timely boost to his hopes of making France the first champions to successfully defend the title since Brazil in 1962.
      Meanwhile, the manager lashed out at a reporter for asking about the whether Karim Benzema will return to the squad.
      Alternatively, France could keep faith with their usual recipe More

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      ‘You don’t know me’ – Cristiano Ronaldo uploads cryptic Instagram post as axed Man Utd superstar hits the gym topless

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO sent the football world a message as the unattached superstar kept up his fitness in the gym.The Portuguese superstar, 37, is currently a free agent after his contract was mutually terminated at Manchester United last month.
      Cristiano Ronaldo posted a shirtless video of himself on his InstagramCredit: https://www.instagram.com/cristiano/?hl=en
      The Portugal forward is a free agent after leaving Manchester UnitedCredit: Getty
      That followed an explosive interview with Piers Morgan in which Ronaldo slammed United and new manager Erik ten Hag for lacking respect.
      Things got no better for Ronaldo at the World Cup as he was dropped for Portugal’s last two games after an alleged row with boss Fernando Santos.
      And fans have been speculating the five-time Ballon d’Or winner may now be ready to hang up his boots.
      Now Ronaldo appears to have sent a cryptic message to his doubters on his Instagram story.
      READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
      The Real Madrid legend, who has 517 million followers, filmed around his gym while shirtless, and focussed on a TV screen playing a Portuguese song.
      The lyrics translate to “You don’t know about me. Don’t cry more for me”.

      Ronaldo suffered disappointment at the World Cup as Portugal were knocked out in the quarter-final stage by Morocco.
      To make matters worse for Ronaldo, it was clear that a passing of the torch was taking place when he was dropped to the bench for their last two games.
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      Ronaldo was dropped for the round of 16 clash against Switzerland, where his replacement Goncalo Ramos starred by netting a hat-trick.
      He was again left out of the starting line-up against Morocco and was unable to make the difference when he came on as a substitute as his World Cup dream came to an end.
      Ronaldo will now be focused on finding a new club to continue his footballing career.
      He was believed to have been approached to make a mega-money deal move to Saudi Arabia, but he is yet to accept the deal.
      The club in question is Al Nassr and the president has played down reports that conversations have been had with the player.
      He had been training with former club Real Madrid, but it seems highly unlikely that the La Liga giants are going to hand him a contract. More

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      I wouldn’t be surprised if Cristiano Ronaldo RETIRES, says ex-Man Utd team-mate Patrice Evra, as star searches for club

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO has been tipped to RETIRE from football by old Manchester United pal Patrice Evra.That’s after seeing his “dream” of winning the World Cup with Portugal come to a cruel end.
      Cristiano Ronaldo has been tipped to retire after Portugal’s World Cup exitCredit: Getty
      Former Man Utd team-mate Evra believes Ronaldo’s ‘dream’ is overCredit: Getty
      Ronaldo, 37, went into Qatar 2022 with high hopes after having his United contract terminated.
      The veteran striker was eager to lead Portugal to glory in a bid to secure a new deal with a Champions League club.
      But Ronaldo’s vision faded after being axed by Fernando Santos for Portugal’s final two games.
      And he left the pitch in tears after being shown the exit in the quarter-finals by Morocco.
      READ MORE ON RONALDO
      Ronaldo, who trained at old side Real Madrid earlier this week, is yet to receive any lucrative offers to remain in Europe.
      Indeed, the only concrete contract he’s received is from Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr.
      Linked clubs including Chelsea and Bayern Munich continue to distance themselves from Ronaldo.
      And even his international future remains unclear after long-time supporter Santos was sacked by Portugal’s FA.
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      Former United team-mate Evra now reckons Ronaldo could opt for retirement.
      The Frenchman claims Ronnie has little left to play for after his World Cup dream went down in flames.
      And with no top offers on the table, it would “not surprise” Evra if Ronaldo decided to call it a day.
      Evra told Sky Sports: “When I have talked to him I haven’t spoken about what he is going to do next.
      “We have been talking more about life and family, but I don’t know. Messi is saying he will retire [from the World Cup] but I don’t know if Ronaldo will.
      “Sometimes, when you are getting so much criticism, especially at the end of your career, you are like ‘OK, I think it’s time to stop’.
      “That must be a feeling, especially when you are not in the starting XI of your national team, because that is what Cristiano wanted: to play, be fit and win the World Cup with his country.
      “This was his dream; now he doesn’t have that dream. Although I won’t talk for Cristiano, I wouldn’t be surprised if he says he is retiring.
      “Now everything Cristiano does he is a ‘bad person’, a ‘bad player’ or whatever. I wouldn’t be surprised if he decides to retire.” More