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    How France is bracing for MORE riots ahead of World Cup final with 14,000 cops deployed & Champs-Élysées shut down

    FRANCE is bracing for further riots ahead of the World Cup final, with 14,000 cops deployed across the country.Officials in Paris have requested the Champs-Elysees be shut down ahead of the Les Bleus final clash against Argentina on Sunday.
    14,000 cops will be mobilised across France on Sunday ahead of the World Cup finalCredit: Rex
    Officials fear violent clashes might erupt as it happened after Wednesday’s gameCredit: AFP
    Clashes also broke out between fans and cops in BrusselsCredit: AFP
    The measures are taken amid fears of “civil war scenes” following the riots that broke out after the country’s victory over Morocco that saw a 14-year-old boy killed in Montpellier.
    The French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has announced security has been increased in the country for this weekend, with 12,800 cops expected to be deployed on Saturday and another 14,000 on Sunday.
    French authorities have called for the iconic Champs-Elysees to be shut down ahead of Sunday’s match.
    The avenue will be closed to traffic on Sunday and 2,750 officers will be stationed in the vicinity.
    read more on world cup
    Previously local mayor responsible for the Parisian district Jeanne d’Hauteserre expressed concern over the avenue and called for it to be closed before Wednesday’s game.
    She told French CNews: “When you want to celebrate victory, you don’t come with mortars. But these people are really only coming to smash with iron bars.
    “For Wednesday, everyone is afraid of a war, a guerrilla war, a civil war, and we do not want the Champs-Elysees to be transformed into a battlefield.”
    Even though 10,000 police were mobilised including 5,000 in Paris, violent clashes erupted with shocking footage showing chaotic scenes.
    Most read in Football
    Shocking footage shows a group trying to get the flag as they walked down Rue de la Mosson when suddenly the driver makes a U-turn, smashing into a teenager before driving off.
    Around 115 people were arrested in total as police fired teargas to disperse the crowd.
    Riot cops were also blasted by fireworks in the French city of Lyon, while clashes broke out between fans in Nice, and chaos also erupted on the streets of Bordeaux.
    In Brussels, police deployed tear gas and water cannons after scuffles broke out and fans set fires in the street and threw fireworks.
    And last week, more than 20,000 adrenaline-fuelled fans flooded the avenue and caused chaos after Morocco’s stunning victory over Portugal.
    Sporadic clashes broke out between hooligans and police who fired tear gas and charged several times.
    Several shops were damaged, cars were set on fire and there were 100 arrests.
    Police were hit by fireworks in Paris
    The clashes saw a driver ploughing into a teenager More

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    Why France’s awesome attack is also their weakness and how Lionel Messi can wreak havoc for Argentina in World Cup final

    THE World Cup final will be contested by two giants of the game, both searching for a slice of history.Argentina cruised past Croatia in the semi-finals with a comfortable 3-0 win as Lionel Messi rolled back the years with a vintage performance.
    How the two compare over their World Cup careers
    The 35-year-old will likely play his final match in the competition and now has one last try to bring the crown back home for the first time since 1986 when Argentine legend Diego Maradona dominated the international stage.
    There is just one more obstacle for Messi and Argentina to face in the form of the reigning champions France.
    With massive names missing from the squad including Karim Benzema, Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante, not many expected Les Bleus to reclaim their title.
    In fact, no side has won consecutive World Cups since the great Brazil squad from 1958 to 1962 which had Pele leading the line.
    read more on the final
    France can break this streak on Sunday evening.
    A win for the current champions would also further cement Didier Deschamps in the history books.
    The 54-year-old could become just the second manager in World Cup history to win multiple titles after Vittorio Pozzo won twice with Italy in 1934 and 1938.
    But Lionel Scaloni stands in his way.
    Most read in Football
    Here are three key tactical areas where the World Cup final can be won or lost.
    Lapse in France’s frontline
    France’s attacking quartet of Kylian Mbappe, Olivier Giroud, Ousmane Dembele and Antoine Griezmann have been scintillating so far in Qatar.
    Giroud managed to break Thierry Henry’s record to become the country’s all-time top goalscorer while Mbappe is currently tied with Messi on five goals in the race for the Golden Boot.
    Griezmann has also had an unbelievable tournament from an individualistic standpoint in his newfound creative role behind the front three.
    The 2018 winners are not short of creativity nor goals and so it will be a daunting task for Argentina to keep them out at the other end.
    Antoine Griezmann has been France’s creative force
    Regardless, while France’s attack has proved menacing going forward, the frontline has been prone to causing lapses in the team’s block out of possession.
    So far, France have kept just one clean sheet at the tournament which came in the latest match versus Morocco, although the African side did threaten Hugo Lloris’ goal on more than one occasion.
    France’s forward line has been lackadaisical out of possession.
    Mbappe hasn’t been overly keen to defend while Giroud’s ripe age means constantly chasing the ball isn’t possible.
    This has made it quite easy for opponents to bypass the frontmen to reach attacking players between the lines.
    Out of possession, Deschamps has set his players up in a 4-3-3 with Mbappe, Giroud and Griezmann forming a very narrow tip.
    Dembele is given further defensive responsibilities than his attacking counterparts and drops back to become a third central midfielder.
    The front three in the 4-3-3 stay really narrow and compact when France are defending in a low defensive block.
    Morocco pushed Tchouameni deep into his own half during the semi-final
    However, Les Bleus have found it difficult to keep their opponents at bay because the attackers do not close spaces well and have failed time and time again to block off passing lanes in behind them.
    This has made it extremely easy at times for centre-backs to play the ball in behind the front three to find attacking players in between the lines of the French setup.
    At times, it looks as though France are only defending with seven outfield players because the forward line are not doing their jobs correctly.
    John Stones slipped the ball behind France’s front three into Buyako Saka who had plenty of space to receive the ball, turn and then drive forward at the French backline.
    Lionel Messi had a decisive impact against Croatia
    The first line of any defensive block needs to shepherd the ball out wide, angling their pressing to force the player in possession to make the first pass to the flanks.
    The objective of any team when defending in a settled block is to ensure that the opposition cannot penetrate the structure which can cause it to collapse.
    While France have gotten away with this poor defending from the front three thus far in Qatar, if Argentina can find Messi in pockets of space behind the French forwards with room to turn and drive forward, the little Argentine could wreak havoc further up the pitch.
    There is no doubt that Scaloni will use this to Argentina’s advantage during the final to break through France’s defensive block.
    Mbappe and Messi both have five goals at Qatar
    Argentina’s formation changes
    Only once in Qatar did Argentina end the game using the formation that they started with.
    This was against Saudi Arabia in the first round of matches.
    There is no coincidence that this was the only game that Scaloni’s side were defeated throughout the tournament.
    While Messi has dominated headlines for his mind-boggling performances on the pitch, perhaps not enough credit is being given to Scaloni himself.
    Where managers in the past have looked to rely on Messi’s talents, often to the detriment of the team as a whole, Scaloni has shown an impressive tactical flexibility to ensure that his side are more than just a one-man team.
    During the World Cup, Argentina have fluctuated between playing with a 4-3-3, a 4-4-2 and a 3-5-2.
    Argentina’s shape against Croatia, with No20 Alexis Mac Allister pushing forward and No5 Leandro Paredes dropping deeper
    Scaloni has adapted the team’s shape to deal with the demands of the opposition which has allowed the South Americans to answer any difficult questions from their opponents.
    For instance, against Australia, Scaloni deployed a 4-4-2 and a 4-3-3 for most of the match.
    However, when faced with The Netherlands in the quarter-finals, the head coach switched to a 3-5-2, dropping a forward for an extra centre-back.
    The reason for this was because Scaloni knew the Dutch would try and play centrally between the lines.
    By using three centre-backs, it allowed the central defenders to take turns stepping into midfield to close down attacking players when they received in this area while still having two covering behind.
    Memphis Depay has received the ball in a dangerous position between the lines. Nicolas Otamendi darted out of the backline which caused his two partners to push closer together, closing the space.
    Another reason behind this was because Scaloni knew that the Netherlands would dominate possession, as has been a characteristic of Louis van Gaal’s team throughout his illustrious managerial career.
    Nevertheless, in the following match against Croatia, the coach switched back to a 4-4-2 as he knew Argentina would be the ball-dominant team.
    By removing a defender, Argentina had an extra midfielder and were able to dominate the midfield in a 4 vs 3 battle.
    Messi naturally drops into the midfield too and so it regularly became a 5 vs 3 situation. Croatia couldn’t cope with Argentina’s numbers.
    Argentina constantly created overloads against Croatia in the middle of the park, using four midfielders and Messi on occasion.
    By the 62nd minute, Argentina were two goals to the good and were cruising.
    Scaloni knew there was no point taking any more risks and so brought Lisandro Martinez on in place of Leandro Paredes, swapping back to a 3-5-2 to provide more defensive security.
    Scaloni will likely go with the 3-5-2 formation for the final, given the sheer quality of France.
    Can Argentina stop Giroud?
    Argentina don’t concede many opportunities.
    At the World Cup, the side have conceded an xG of merely 0.39 on average per game which is incredible.
    While the team’s attacking play has been poetic, their defensive resilience has been one of the main reasons why they are in the final.
    However, when opponents do manage to muster up opportunities against the Copa America champions, it is normally by going direct.
    When teams play direct against the Argentina backline, it can cause a lot of problems for Scaloni’s men.
    This was evident in the quarter-final with a tactical tweak made by van Gaal to get his side back in the game.
    The Netherlands were struggling to play through Argentina’s sturdy defensive block and most of the Dutch possession was without purpose.
    Olivier Giroud has been a key man for France
    Near the end of the match, while the Netherlands were two goals down, van Gaal decided to bring Wout Weghorst on to complement Luuk de Jong who had also been subbed into the match not long before.
    The two target men caused Argentina’s defence to collapse as the Dutch began pumping long balls into the box for the duo to win.
    The change worked from the former Manchester United boss.
    The Netherlands got themselves back into the match when Weghorst towered above Martinez to head the ball into the net.
    Weghorst dominated Martinez in the air to pull a goal back for his side. The Manchester United defender couldn’t get near him from the cross out wide.
    In a match where Mbappe and Messi are set to lock horns, Giroud could be the key to decide who comes out on top.
    At the ripe age of 35, Giroud is still one of the best target men in world football and poses a serious threat from crosses or long balls into the penalty area.
    England know this better than any side at the World Cup.
    The Three Lions exited the competition in the quarters at the hands of a Giroud header.
    Even Harry Maguire couldn’t deal with the Frenchman’s aerial prowess yet winning headers is one of the centre-back’s best qualities.
    Giroud leaped above Maguire to head the ball past Jordan Pickford, bagging the goal which sent France into the final four.
    Deschamps will be aware of Argentina’s weakness against long balls and crosses and so it’s likely that Les Bleus will look to exploit this which could sway the tie in the reigning champions’ favour.
    Read More on The Sun
    So what does this all mean?
    There are two master tacticians set to play chess this Sunday and two teams filled with obscene talent that some coaches can only dream of possessing.
    While the battle between Messi and Mbappe will be what catches the eyes of the world, the tactical scuffle from the sidelines will be the deciding factor for which nation takes home the crown. More

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    France to wear 2018 World Cup-winning all-blue kit in Argentina final despite not using it once this tournament

    FRANCE will be hoping that they have struck it lucky again after the kits were decided for their clash with Argentina.Les Bleus sealed their place in the showpiece by defeating Morocco 2-0 in the semis on Wednesday.
    France won the 2018 World Cup while kitted out in an all-blue kitCredit: Getty
    The French will have to ditch their red socks and white shorts for this year’s finalCredit: Getty
    Holders France will now face Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday after the South Americans had booked their place by beating Croatia 3-0.
    Didier Deschamps side triumphed back in 2018 in Russia while wearing an all-Blue kit.
    Now they are set to be decked out in the exact same colours as they were the day they thumped Croatia four years ago.
    The French have worn blue shirts with white shorts and red socks for the entirety of their adventure in Qatar.
    READ MORE WORLD CUP NEWS
    That, of course, resembles the French Tricolore – with the only exception coming in their final group-stage game against Tunisia.
    Argentina will be wearing their iconic white and blue striped shirt, white shorts, and white and blue socks this weekend.
    And due to a kit clash, that means the French will have to switch their outfit and take the pitch in blue shirts and socks to match their jerseys.
    Both nations are hoping to win the World Cup for a third time.
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    But it is France who have even more history on their minds.
    They are hoping to become the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the crown.
    Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron allegedly wants to take a group of injured players to the final.
    Deschamps has managed to guide reigning champions to the verge of another crown despite suffering a number of crippling injury blows.
    Midfield duo Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante were both ruled out of the tournament while Karim Benzema was selected for action before he was ruled out too.
    However, Macron reportedly wants to get these players involved and in attendance for Sunday’s showpiece. More

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    World Cup final bonus – Claim your £5 FREE BET on Argentina vs France with Sky Bet

    ARGENTINA and France meet in a mouth-watering World Cup final this Sunday.Sky Bet are marking the occasion by offering new AND existing customers a £5 FREE BET to spend on a BuildABet on the showdown!
    World Cup final – Claim your £5 FREE BET on Argentina-France with Sky BetCredit: Getty
    Claim £5 free bet for World Cup final*
    It’s set to be an historic meeting between two of the pre-tournament fancied sides.
    The bookies can’t split the sides, with Argentina 17/10 and France 7/4 to win in 90 minutes.
    But the pair are both 5/6 to lift the trophy with Sky Bet, showing how tight it’s expected to be.
    It could come down to the two main protagonists, with Lionel Messi looking to crown his international career with the ultimate win and Kylian Mbappe adding yet another World Cup to his incredible young career.
    If you’re looking to stay away from the odds-on prices of who will lift the trophy, Sky Bet’s £5 free bet used in a BuildABet can bolster your returns on a winner!
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    New Sky Bet customers who stake £10 on any sports market, including the World Cup action, will be rewarded with £40 in free bets!
    To access this offer, simply click HERE**, register a new account and place a tenner on football. You’ll then have your account credited with £40 in free bets!
    Most read in Football
    To claim your £5 Free BuildABet, simply follow the instructions below.
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    £5 free buildabet on Argentina vs France

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    France ‘reintroduce social distancing and masks’ as Coman ‘isolates from squad’ to stem virus ahead of World Cup final

    FRANCE have reportedly reintroduced social distancing and masks ahead of the World Cup final.That’s after Kingsley Coman became the latest star to isolate from the squad amid fears of a virus outbreak.
    Kingsley Coman has to isolate from France teammates amid fears of a virus outbreakCredit: Rex
    Adrien Rabiot and Dayot Upamecano were both forced to miss France’s semi-final win over Morocco after catching the bug.
    Indeed, Rabiot even had to celebrate by himself by dancing alone in the team hotel.
    Get French Football News says some France staff members have blamed the illness on quarter-final opponents England.
    And Didier Deschamps has decided to reinstate old Covid rules by putting his squad in lockdown ahead of Sunday’s battle against Argentina.
    READ MORE ON WORLD CUP
    But the France boss has suffered a fresh blow after Bayern Munich’s Coman was forced to isolate this week.
    Rabiot and Upamecano’s fitness for the final also remains unclear.
    And intense measures have now been deployed at France’s team hotel, including the wearing of masks, regular cleaning of surfaces and encouraging the use of hand gel.
    There is hope that Coman could join in today’s training session if he is not deemed a risk to teammates.
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    But Deschamps will not want to lose any more of his squad, with left-back Theo Hernandez also sweating over a knee issue.
    The source of the virus in France’s squad remains unknown.
    But although some have blamed England for it, the general feeling is that constant air conditioning to combat the Qatari heat is behind it.
    Other countries including Brazil were hit by a similar outbreak earlier in the tournament.
    Man United star Antony said: “It was a bit difficult. I ended up having a bad feeling there for a few days that complicated me a bit.
    “I’m recovering well and getting 100 per cent. It was more of a sickness, throat. It was the air conditioning.
    “Not only me, but other players also had a cough and a bad throat.” More

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    Lionel Messi’s first ever interview as a 13-year-old unearthed and he names surprising job if he didn’t become the GOAT

    LIONEL MESSI is one game away from lifting football’s biggest prize – but what would he have been if he wasn’t one of the games greatest ever players?While the Argentina ace always dreamt of making it in the big time, he also had a backup plan.
    Lionel Messi is aiming to lift the World Cup on SundayCredit: Getty
    An old interview with a 13-year-old Messi has resurfaced onlineCredit: La Capital
    Messi gave the interview just months before he joined BarcelonaCredit: LA CAPITAL
    An old interview with a 13-year-old Messi from an Argentinian newspaper has resurfaced online ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final against France.
    It is alleged to be Messi’s first ever interview, with newspaper La Capital in his home city of Rosario.
    It was published in September 2003, just months before he moved to Barcelona.
    The fact file style article saw Messi give quick-fire answers on some of his hopes and dreams for the future, among other things.
    Read More World Cup News
    After revealing his hobby was listening to music, a later question was a potential job for the future.
    Even as a youngster Messi always saw himself being involved in sport, whether it was playing professionally or not.
    He answered: “PE teacher.”
    However, the teenage prodigy always had his eyes set on becoming one of football’s greatest ever players.
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    When asked for a hope, he responded: “To play in the first division with Newell’s [Old Boys].”
    While Messi has never played in the Argentinian first division with his boyhood club, he did win ten top-flight titles in Spain with Barcelona, as well as four Champions Leagues.
    But he has already achieved his dream, which was: “To play for Argentina.”
    However, he can take his dream one stop further with World Cup glory on Sunday.
    The 35-year-old has scored five goals and provided three assists in just six games in Qatar.
    Messi is the joint top scorer in Qatar, alongside Kylian MbappeCredit: AP More

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    William Hill – Argentina vs France: Lionel Messi to score 1st NOW 5/1 – Top Price Guarantee

    WILLIAM HILL have a price boost which is a TOP PRICE GUARANTEE ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final between Argentina and France.The bookie is offering punters boosted odds of 5/1 for main man Lionel Messi to open the scoring in the showdown – which is a Top Price GUARANTEE.
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    Inevitably, he hasn’t been out the headlines.
    And Messi could claim a clean sweep of several awards this Sunday if things go his way.
    As much as winning the competition is his main aim, he’s also favourite to win the Golden Ball, and currently leads PSG team-mate Kylian Mbappe in the Golden Boot race.
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    ‘Bitterly disappointed’ Clive Tyldesley opens up on early World Cup departure after being let go by ITV after last 16

    CLIVE TYLDESLEY is “bitterly disappointed” by leaving the World Cup early but is still on good terms with ITV.The commentator was in Qatar covering the World Cup for ITV along with Sam Matterface and Jon Champion.
    Clive Tyldesley was not selected for ITV’s World Cup quarter-final coverageCredit: Getty
    ITV picked that duo to commentate on their quarter-final matches, leaving Tydelsley at a loose end.
    The broadcaster did want Tydelsley to stay and work on a highlights package of the last-8 games, but he instead decided to fly home ahead of the FA Cup, which he will be covering for ITV.
    Speaking about his early departure, Tydelsley told the Mirror: “I’m working for them on the FA Cup in the first week of January and I wouldn’t be doing that if there was a great deal of bitterness.
    “Was I bitterly disappointed? You bet I was.
    READ MORE ON THE WORLD CUP
    “But it’s a decision I’ve got to accept and in the grand scheme of things people don’t turn it on for the commentator, they turn it on for the football.
    “I didn’t agree with the decision but I accepted it.
    “I was offered a quarter-final to commentate on for highlights. It would have meant me staying on in Qatar for another four or five days to essentially commentate on 10 minutes of television post-midnight.
    “I said I would be happy to do it if they couldn’t cover without me but my preference was to fly home early if possible and they said OK.”
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    Tyldesley, 68, was dropped as ITV’s main commentator in July 2020 with Matterface succeeding him in the role.
    He has since worked for Amazon Prime Video and CBS Sports. More