Argentina vs France - How to watch and stream the FIFA World Cup final on December 18, 2022

Temi: FIFA World Cup, Argentina, France, TV Schedules, TV Listings, Streaming info, Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi

The final game of an entertaining competition will be held on Sunday. Will Argentina cap a great run, or will France win back-to-back titles?

The end of the FIFA World Cup is here. Four and a half years after the last title clash in the quadrennial competition, France and Argentina lock horns to determine the winner of what has been an entertaining tournament full of surprises.

The game between Argentina and France comes loaded with history, both past and in the making, and fans across the world will have to keep an eye on everything that goes down in this tie featuring two of the most popular players in the world trying to defend the pride of their respective countries.

The Argentine side makes it to the title match after winning Group C with two wins and one loss. Since their troubles in the first stage, La Albiceleste defeated Australia (2-1), went the last mile to beat the Netherlands (4-3 after penalties), and claimed their spot in the finals by defeating Croatia with an emphatic 3-0 score.

La Albiceleste has been led by none other than Lionel Messi, who stepped up to carry the weight of the team when things got tough and with an impeccable accuracy from the penalty spot. "La Pulga" has scored five goals during the tournament, which keep him in contention to win the Golden Boot. Added to that, Messi has been handing out assists for the better part of the tournament, establishing a partnership with Julián Álvarez, who has become his best partner in crime with four goals to his name in the tournament.

As for the French side, the defending champions won their group against Denmark, Tunisia, and Australia, although they could not make it with a perfect record after their loss to Tunisia on Matchday 3. Les Bleus would then go on to beat Poland in the Round of 16 without breaking a sweat, as they claimed a 3-1 win. Then, Deschamps' men eliminated England in the Quarterfinals with a narrow 2-1 score, which saw them meet Morocco in the semis. There, Les Bleus ended the Atlas Lions' hopes with a two-nil win, making them the only defending champions in the 21st Century to make it to back-to-back finals.

Speaking of their players, Kylian Mbappé has confirmed himself as the next big thing in the world of football, leading France with five goals and having a direct impact in almost all of the team's goals in the tournament. Other top players for Didier Deschamps include Olivier Giroud, who became the all-time top scorer for Les Bleus during the tournament thanks to his four goals. Moreover, Antoine Griezmann has also been key to their performance with three assists to his name in the tournament, creating more chances than every footballer in the ongoing World Cup.

If this is not enough to get you in gear for this match, have a closer look at some key facts from this tie that could see both these teams winning their third World Cup crown in history.

Argentina vs France - Team news

The South American side will make it to this match with almost a full squad to choose from, with the team recovering Marcos Acuña and Gonzalo Montiel, who were suspended for the previous game after being booked twice prior to the Quarterfinals. The only injury concern for Lionel Scaloni will be Alejandro "Papu" Gómez, who is still dealing with a sprained ankle. The rest of the team, including Lionel Messi and Ángel Di María, are fit to play this game.

The defending champions will enter the title clash with some medical problems, as Adrien Rabiot is still in doubt to play this game due to a severe cold. Other players such as Kingsley Coman, Ibrahima Konaté, and Raphäel Varane are still questionable, but they have a better chance to play than Juventus' midfielder. Aside from those names, coach Didier Deschamps will have his best men at his disposal for this clash...even Karim Benzema!

Argentina vs France - Head-to-head

This will be the fourth FIFA World Cup game between Argentina and France.
The Argentine side has won two of those games (one in 1930 and the other in 1978), while Les Bleus won the most recent one in 2018.
All in all, France and Argentina will play their 13th game across all competitions, with the overall record showing six wins for Argentina, three draws, and three wins for France.
Argentina will face France with only six players from their previous World Cup meeting. Lionel Messi, Ángel Di María, Nicolás Tagliafico, Nicolás Otamendi, Marcos Acuña, and Paulo Dybala are the only remaining players in Argentina's squad from their last loss to Les Bleus
France will face Argentina with nine players from their previous World Cup meeting still in their squad. Olivier Giroud, Kylian Mbappé, Antoine Griezmann, Benjamin Pavard, Raphäel Varane, Hugo Lloris, Steve Mandanda, Alphonse Areola, and Ousmané Dembelé are the remaining players in France's squad from their last WC win against La Albiceleste.
This will be the first match for coach Lionel Scaloni against France.
France's coach Didier Deschamps will face Argentina for the second time. The only match for him against Argentina was held four years ago and ended in a 4-3 win for France.
Kylian Mbappé scored a brace for France in their last meeting against Argentina.
Lionel Messi has only been able to score once against France in three games.