- Argentina clinch the World Cup in a tense penalty shootout (4-2). France fail to become two-time champions in a row.
- It's 3-3! Kylian Mbappe makes it 3-3 after converting a spot kick.
- Messi scores, once again. Argentina now 3-2 ahead in the second half of extra time.
- First 15 minutes of extra time over. Score still 2-2
- 90 minutes over, and the tension now spills into extra time.
- Mbappe scores a brace to make it 2-2 versus Argentina.
- Half an hour to go, Argentina still lead 2-0
- Argentina scores again in the 36th minute. Up 2-0
- Argentina leads France 1-0 in the 23rd minute
- Argentina one up. Messi scores via penalty
- France get a free-kick after Theo Hernandez was fouled by Christian Romero
- Match on... Argentina gains a corner in the first 10 minutes
- FIFA World Cup Final between defending champions France and Argentina begins
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— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 18, 2022pic.twitter.com/P0ZRL799f0
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 18, 2022
- FIFA World Cup Final: Closing ceremony kicks-off
After 63 matches, the World Cup in Qatar comes to a close on Sunday when reigning champions France take on Argentina in a showpiece final at Lusail Stadium with both teams looking to add a third star to their crest.
Croatia edged Morocco 2-1 in Saturday's third-place playoff, an entertaining affair that served as a curtain-raiser to the main event where France stand in the way of Lionel Messi and his last chance of glory.
The last time these two teams met was at the 2018 World Cup where France beat Argentina 4-3 in the last 16, an encounter that was arguably the most entertaining match of the tournament in Russia.
The final will also see a clash of generational stars when 35-year-old Messi, playing in his final World Cup match, faces his 23-year-old Paris St Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe.
Both players have scored five goals at the World Cup and could potentially leave Qatar with three trophies as they also vie for the Golden Boot for the top scorer as well as the Golden Ball for the tournament's best player.
Let Lionel Messi make the World Cup his own
Argentina need to win this one. Not for Lionel Messi, the players or the support staff. Or for the fans back home who celebrate like mad in the streets.
They need to win for Bangladesh (in one of his news conferences coach Lionel Scaloni had even thanked the country for their continuous support), they need to win for the fans in Kerala who had a cut-out of Messi in the middle of a river or those who live stream even a friendly against Estonia at unworldly hours. This World Cup means a lot to them.
Argentina lineup
Emiliano MartĂnez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Otamendi, Nicolas Tagliafico; Angel Di Maria, Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister; Julian Alvarez, Lionel Messi.
Subs: Armani, Foyth, Montiel, Paredes, Pezzella, Acuna, Rulli, Palacios, Correa, Almada, Gomez, Rodriguez, Dybala, Lisandro Martinez, Lautaro Martinez.
France lineup
Hugo Lloris; Jules Koundé, Raphael Varane, Dayot Upamecano, Theo Hernandez; Aurélien Tchouaméni, Antoine Griezmann, Adrien Rabiot; Ousmane Dembélé, Kylian Mbappé, Olivier Giroud.
Subs: Pavard, Disasi, Guendouzi, Muani, Fofana, Veretout, Mandanda, Saliba, Coman, Areola, Konate, Camavinga, Thuram.
