Messi eyeing final chance at World Cup glory vs. Mbappe and defending champs France

And then there have been two. 

France and Argentina are the final nations standing from the 32-team subject on the FIFA World Cup and can sq. off in Sunday’s last at Lusail Stadium in a match that may formally draw an in depth a month of pure soccer insanity in Qatar.  

Here’s some key storylines to remember for Sunday’s large match. 

Lionel Messi’s final likelihood to win a World Cup 

By now, everyone knows what’s at stake for Lionel Messi. He’s earned tons of particular person awards, together with the Ballon d’Or on seven events, received the whole lot at membership stage, and helped his nation win final yr’s Copa America. But Sunday’s recreation vs. France would be the 35-year-old’s last alternative so as to add the one vital credit score that has been lacking from his profession CV: World Cup champion. 

This is Messi’s fifth World Cup, and it has simply been his greatest. The Argentine ace has began all six video games for his nation and performed each single minute (570 in complete). He’s tied with Kylian Mbappé because the event’s high scorer with 5 objectives, with three of them coming within the knockout rounds. He’s transformed penalty pictures and scored essential recreation winners. He’s been there within the moments when his nation wanted him essentially the most, and he’s responded by routinely conjuring moments of pure magic. 

Some of the all-time greats by no means hoisted the World Cup trophy, most notably Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff, Alfredo Di Stefano. Messi is already one of many best of all-time, if not THE best, so he doesn’t have to win the World Cup. His legacy is already secured, so profitable the World Cup isn’t about that. 

It’s about doing it for the folks of La Bajada, the working-class neighborhood in Rosario the place he grew up and realized to play the sport on its filth roads and makeshift pitches. It’s about doing it for his beloved Argentina, the soccer-crazy nation he’s represented with distinction 171 occasions since making his nationwide workforce debut in 2005. And it’s about striving to climb new heights, as a result of that’s what each nice athlete does.  

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The unsung heroes for Argentina and France 

Messi and Mbappé have garnered the vast majority of the headlines throughout their groups’ respective runs to the ultimate, which is comprehensible. The Paris Saint-Germain teammates are tied because the event’s high scorers with 5 objectives apiece, to say nothing of the actual fact they’re two world superstars. Chances are excellent that both Messi or Mbappé will take centre stage on Sunday. But regulate the unsung heroes of France and Argentina, who’ve performed main roles in serving to their nations get this far in Qatar. 

Aurélien Tchouaméni has been a key determine in France’s World Cup marketing campaign, having began all six video games for Les Bleus and logging a team-high 510 minutes of enjoying time (out of a doable 540). The Real Madrid defensive midfielder, nonetheless solely 22, has been excellent in anchoring the midfield and shielding the again line, whereas additionally contributing offensively — he scored the opener in France’s win over England within the quarter-finals. 

For Argentina, Alexis Mac Allister has began 5 of six video games and received plaudits for his stable two-way play. The Brighton & Hove Albion Albion midfielder has one purpose to his credit score, in a win in opposition to Poland within the group stage. The 23-year-old has been a standout on the defensive finish of issues in the course of the park, tirelessly working onerous to win again possession for the South Americans. 

The vital one-on-one matchup: Tchouaméni vs. Messi 

The 2018 World Cup in Russia, an Argentina vs. France match-up proved to be essentially the most tantalizing video games of the spherical of 16. Les Bleus got here out on high in an exciting match that produced seven objectives. But extremely, Messi wasn’t amongst the goal-scorers. In truth, the previous Barcelona star had a quiet recreation, as he was successfully man marked by French midfielder N’Golo Kanté. All Messi may handle in that recreation was an help on Sergio Agüero’s comfort purpose in harm time. 

Four years later, France supervisor Didier Deschamps may make use of the identical technique, and have somebody shadow Messi throughout Sunday’s last. With Kanté unavailable — he was dominated out of this event because of harm — the duty of staying on high of Messi would fall to Tchouaméni. 

It will probably be a difficult project for Tchouaméni, who has been an integral cog in France’s tactical construction in Qatar. He’s supplied a steadying and resolute presence in central midfield whereas each working to recuperate the ball and retain possession for the French. Messi has the license to roam freely in an effort to observe his attacking instincts, so if Tchouaméni follows him, it may go away gaps and areas in central midfield that Argentina may exploit 

France seems to be to repeat and be a part of an elite group 

The first World Cup passed off in 1930, and ever since then the winners of the boys’s event have turn into a part of some of the unique golf equipment in all of sports activities. Only eight nations have ever lifted the trophy, and it’s been 12 years since a brand new workforce was welcomed into the fold when Spain received in South Africa. 

France claimed its first World Cup trophy on residence soil in 1998 and needed to wait 20 years to win it for a second time. Now, Didier Deschamps’ aspect is on the cusp of repeating and becoming a member of a extra unique group. A victory over Argentina on Sunday wouldn’t solely mark France’s third World Cup title, however Les Bleus would turn into solely the third nation within the historical past of the boys’s event to repeat as champions — and the primary in sixty years. 

Italy was the primary to win back-to-back World Cups in 1934 and 1938. More not too long ago, Brazil “did the double” when it received its first World Cup in Sweden in 1958 due to a 17-year-old named Pele who introduced himself to the world, and efficiently defended its title 4 years later in Chile. If France are to repeat, then certainly, now we have to speak about this French aspect as one of many best of all time. 

John Molinaro is without doubt one of the main soccer journalists in Canada, having coated the sport for over 20 years for a number of media retailers, together with Sportsnet, CBC Sports and Sun Media. He is at present the editor-in-chief of TFC Republic, a web site devoted to in-depth protection of Toronto FC and Canadian soccer. TFC Republic will be discovered right here.

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