<p>The 26-day grand spectacle of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar reached its fitting climax on Sunday night. Argentina overcame France, the defending champions to lay their hands on the WC silverware after a long, arduous wait of 36 years. While the finale was thrilling, the entirety of the tournament was no different with several top talents coming to the fore and old stalwarts turning back the clock.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With the incredible array of talent at display, it was only inevitable that WION's sports team made its&nbsp;World Cup XI. However, it is to be noted that the dynamics of the individual players&nbsp;may not necessarily be great for the XI enlisted below. The XI&nbsp;is purely based on players that had an exceptional tournament in their respective positions.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>(4-3-3&nbsp;formation)</strong></p>

<p><strong>Goalkeeper: </strong>Emiliano Martinez (Goalkeeper)</p>

<p><strong>Defenders: </strong>Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), Josko Gvardiol (Croatia), Ibrahima Konate (France), Theo Hernandez (France)<br />
<br />
<strong>Midfielders: </strong>Jude Bellingham (England), Antoine Griezzmann (France); Luka Modric (Croatia)</p>

<p><strong>Forwards: </strong>Lionel Messi (Argentina) Kylian Mbappe (France), Julian Alvarez (Argentina)</p>

<p><strong>Manager: </strong>Louis van Gaal (Netherlands)</p>

<p><img alt="WION's World Cup XI" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ecacc85e-2200-4860-b063-38c58fad077f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/lineup%20%281%29.png" /></p>

<p><strong>Manager/Coach</strong></p>

<p>Morocco coach Walid&nbsp;Regragui could have easily made it as the manager of the squad but was pipped by Louis van Gaal by a tiny fraction. The Dutch showed exemplary tactical fluidity when chasing the game against Argentina that tipped the scales in his favour. van Gaal put Wout Weghorst and Luuk de Jong into the XI and used their aerial prowess to inflict a stunning comeback.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Formation</strong></p>

<p>We have gone with a 4-3-3&nbsp;formation which is flexible as it allows Lionel Messi, the Golden Boot winner of the tournament to loiter anywhere in the middle and do what he does best. Essentially, in possession, it becomes a 4-4-2&nbsp;with Alvarez and Mbappe as the top two with the likes of Messi and Griezzmann feeding them.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Goalkeeper</strong></p>

<p>Emiliano Martinez was a no-brainer in the goalpost after he carried his team through two penalty shootouts in the tournament. Prior to the final's penalty shootout, Martinez pulled off a miraculous save in the dying seconds of extra time to save the Argentines a massive heartache. For his shot-stopping ability and decent sweeping technique, Martinez makes the cut.</p>

<p>Alternatives: Dominik Livakovic (Croatia),&nbsp;Yassine Bounou (Morocco) and&nbsp;Wojciech Szczesny (Poland) were the other options that could have easily walked into the XI.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/unmissable-argentina-captain-lionel-messis-table-dance-with-fifa-world-cup-trophy-goes-viral-watch-544444"><strong>WATCH | UNMISSABLE! Argentina captain Lionel Messi's table dance with FIFA World Cup trophy goes viral</strong></a></p>

<p><strong>Defenders</strong></p>

<p>The back four was one of the preferred options by managers in the World Cup. The two central defenders flanked by the wing-backs who liked to push up the pitch was&nbsp;a strategy that reaped rich dividends.</p>

<p>In the playing XI, the backline is being marshalled by Josko Gvardiol, one of the brightest prospects to come out of the tournament and Ibrahima Konate.</p>

<p>The Liverpool defender may not have got as much game time as he would have liked but he was a Rolls Royce of a defender whenever he was given the opportunity. His shift in the semifinals was one of the reasons why France reached the final.&nbsp;</p>

<p>To the right of Konate we have Morocco's Achraf Hakimi who had an extra set of lungs on him throughout the World Cup. Though Morocco focused on defensive solidity at the back where Hakimi had to concentrate most of his focus, his offensive output was worth nothing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The left fullback position is occupied by Theo Hernandez. The AC Milan defender is one of the most talented left-backs in the world, if not the best. Hernandez likes staying high up during the attacking phases and make underlapping and overlapping runs through the winger.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Alternatives: Dayot Upamecano (France), John Stones (England), Roman Saiss (Morocco), Virgil Van Dijk (Netherlands)</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2022-messis-argentina-fulfill-the-dream-by-beating-france-on-penalties-in-the-wc-final-544328"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;FIFA World Cup 2022: Mesmerising Messi’s Argentina fulfill the dream by beating France on penalties in final</strong></a></p>

<p><strong>Midfielders</strong></p>

<p>The engine room of our playing XI is being led by 35-year-old Luka Modric who carried his team to yet another podium finish at the World Cup. Age appears to have not caught up with the Croatian maestro who alongside Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozovic formed one of the most lethal midfield trios of the tournament.&nbsp;</p>

<p>England's 19-year-old Jude Bellingham is the obvious choice for the other spot as the teenage sensation lit up the WC with his physicality, ball progression and creativity. And when needed, the Borussia Dortmund player did not shy away from doing the dirty work.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The last piece of machinery in the midfield is Antoine Griezmann who quietly had one of the best tournaments. He was involved in nearly every major moment for the French side during their journey to the final. The freedom given by Didier Deschamps to him to loiter anywhere in the midfield allowed the creator in Griezmann to come to the fore.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Alternatives: Enzo Fernandez (Argentina), Sofyan Amrbat (Morocco), Casemiro (Brazil), Mateo Kovacic (Croatia)</p>

<p><strong>Forwards:</strong></p>

<p>The attacking trio picked itself as their performances demanded an almost certain selection. Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, the Golden Ball and Golden Boot winners respectively had a standout tournament. They both pulled their team out of the hard moments single-handedly and lit up the WC on their own. Joining them is Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez who managed to bag four goals in the tournament and prove his mettle.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Alternatives: Olivier Giroud (France), Ferran Torres (Spain), Bukayo Saka (England), Richarlison (Brazil)</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


The 26-day grand spectacle of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar reached its fitting climax on Sunday night. Argentina overcame France, the defending champions to lay their hands on the WC silverware after a long, arduous wait of 36 years.

The 26-day grand spectacle of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar reached its fitting climax on Sunday night. Argentina overcame France, the defending champions to lay their hands on the WC silverware after a long, arduous wait of 36 years. While the finale was thrilling, the entirety of the tournament was no different with several top talents coming to the fore and old stalwarts turning back the clock. With the incredible array of talent at display, it was only inevitable that WION's sports team made its World Cup XI. However, it is to be noted that the dynamics of the individual players may not necessarily be great for the XI enlisted below. The XI is purely based on players that had an exceptional tournament in their respective positions. (4-3-3 formation) Goalkeeper: Emiliano Martinez (Goalkeeper) Defenders: Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), Josko Gvardiol (Croatia), Ibrahima Konate (France), Theo Hernandez (France) Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (England), Antoine Griezzmann (France); Luka Modric (Croatia) Forwards: Lionel Messi (Argentina) Kylian Mbappe (France), Julian Alvarez (Argentina) Manager: Louis van Gaal (Netherlands) Manager/Coach Morocco coach Walid Regragui could have easily made it as the manager of the squad but was pipped by Louis van Gaal by a tiny fraction. The Dutch showed exemplary tactical fluidity when chasing the game against Argentina that tipped the scales in his favour. van Gaal put Wout Weghorst and Luuk de Jong into the XI and used their aerial prowess to inflict a stunning comeback. Formation We have gone with a 4-3-3 formation which is flexible as it allows Lionel Messi, the Golden Boot winner of the tournament to loiter anywhere in the middle and do what he does best. Essentially, in possession, it becomes a 4-4-2 with Alvarez and Mbappe as the top two with the likes of Messi and Griezzmann feeding them. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was a no-brainer in the goalpost after he carried his team through two penalty shootouts in the tournament. Prior to the final's penalty shootout, Martinez pulled off a miraculous save in the dying seconds of extra time to save the Argentines a massive heartache. For his shot-stopping ability and decent sweeping technique, Martinez makes the cut. Alternatives: Dominik Livakovic (Croatia), Yassine Bounou (Morocco) and Wojciech Szczesny (Poland) were the other options that could have easily walked into the XI. WATCH | UNMISSABLE! Argentina captain Lionel Messi's table dance with FIFA World Cup trophy goes viral Defenders The back four was one of the preferred options by managers in the World Cup. The two central defenders flanked by the wing-backs who liked to push up the pitch was a strategy that reaped rich dividends. In the playing XI, the backline is being marshalled by Josko Gvardiol, one of the brightest prospects to come out of the tournament and Ibrahima Konate. The Liverpool defender may not have got as much game time as he would have liked but he was a Rolls Royce of a defender whenever he was given the opportunity. His shift in the semifinals was one of the reasons why France reached the final. To the right of Konate we have Morocco's Achraf Hakimi who had an extra set of lungs on him throughout the World Cup. Though Morocco focused on defensive solidity at the back where Hakimi had to concentrate most of his focus, his offensive output was worth nothing. The left fullback position is occupied by Theo Hernandez. The AC Milan defender is one of the most talented left-backs in the world, if not the best. Hernandez likes staying high up during the attacking phases and make underlapping and overlapping runs through the winger. Alternatives: Dayot Upamecano (France), John Stones (England), Roman Saiss (Morocco), Virgil Van Dijk (Netherlands) Read more: FIFA World Cup 2022: Mesmerising Messi’s Argentina fulfill the dream by beating France on penalties in final Midfielders The engine room of our playing XI is being led by 35-year-old Luka Modric who carried his team to yet another podium finish at the World Cup. Age appears to have not caught up with the Croatian maestro who alongside Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozovic formed one of the most lethal midfield trios of the tournament. England's 19-year-old Jude Bellingham is the obvious choice for the other spot as the teenage sensation lit up the WC with his physicality, ball progression and creativity. And when needed, the Borussia Dortmund player did not shy away from doing the dirty work. The last piece of machinery in the midfield is Antoine Griezmann who quietly had one of the best tournaments. He was involved in nearly every major moment for the French side during their journey to the final. The freedom given by Didier Deschamps to him to loiter anywhere in the midfield allowed the creator in Griezmann to come to the fore. Alternatives: Enzo Fernandez (Argentina), Sofyan Amrbat (Morocco), Casemiro (Brazil), Mateo Kovacic (Croatia) Forwards: The attacking trio picked itself as their performances demanded an almost certain selection. Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, the Golden Ball and Golden Boot winners respectively had a standout tournament. They both pulled their team out of the hard moments single-handedly and lit up the WC on their own. Joining them is Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez who managed to bag four goals in the tournament and prove his mettle. Alternatives: Olivier Giroud (France), Ferran Torres (Spain), Bukayo Saka (England), Richarlison (Brazil) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

WION's FIFA World Cup 2022 best XI: Which players made the first team?

<p>Lionel Messi-led Argentina won the FIFA World Cup 2022 final, beating the defending champions France in an epic clash at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar on Sunday (December 18). Having reached the final in style, beating the 2018 edition's runners-up Croatia 3-0, Messi &amp; Co. started off with a bang and were leading 2-0 till the 80th minute before France rode on Kylian Mbappe's twin strikes and levelled the scores to push the game to the extra time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the extra time, Argentina was once again ahead by 3-2, with Messi striking for the second time in the contest before Mbappe's hat-trick pushed the game to the penalty shootout where Argentina ended on top (4-2). After&nbsp;the game, wishes have been pouring in from all corners for Argentina captain Messi. He had already revealed, post the Croatia win, that the Qatar final will be his last World Cup appearance and, hence, he ended his run in the mega event on a glorious note. Hence, many legends have joined in to wish the 35-year-old Messi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Roger Federer, who retired from tennis early this year, took to his official Instagram handle and wrote, "Fairytale stuff Argentina! Time and time again you @leomessi have redefined greatness. It’s a privilege to watch you. Congrats Leo &amp; Special and historic," along with&nbsp;sharing a photo of Messi's famous World Cup trophy kiss. <strong>Here's the post:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/check-back-with-me-in-7-years-lionel-messis-fans-2015-prediction-goes-viral-after-argentina-win-fifa-wc-544504"><strong>'Check back with me in 7 years' - Lionel Messi's fan's 2015 prediction goes viral after Argentina win FIFA WC</strong></a></p>

<p>At the presentation ceremony, Messi was awarded the Golden Ball and he ended as the second-highest goal-scorer (7) in the tournament with his PSG teammate and French star Mbappe ending with eight (to win the Golden Boot Award). In addition, he made it clear that his international career has not ended and he will continue to play as a 'champion' post the WC win. Hence, he will like to add more titles to his cabinet after ending his WC run on a high.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Messi forced to cover his Argentina shirt</strong></p>

<p>After the splendid win, captain Messi was forced to cover his Argentina shirt with a black and gold robe while being given the World Cup trophy during the presentation ceremony. As he made his way up to the stage, the veteran was handed a black robe by&nbsp;the Emir of Qatar -- also the owner of Messi's French club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).&nbsp;Just then, the BBC commentator Guy Mowbray declared it "the night the true king of football is coronated". The robe, however, meant that's Messi's blue and white national jersey wasn't on full display while receiving the trophy.</p>

<p>After this, the presenter Gary Lineker said: "Amazing scenes, great pictures from above and great pictures from inside the ground as Argentina win the World Cup for the third time." He added, "It seems a shame, in a way, that they've covered up Messi in his Argentina shirt."</p>


Lionel Messi-led Argentina won the FIFA World Cup 2022 final, beating the defending champions France in an epic clash at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar on Sunday (December 18).

Lionel Messi-led Argentina won the FIFA World Cup 2022 final, beating the defending champions France in an epic clash at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar on Sunday (December 18). Having reached the final in style, beating the 2018 edition's runners-up Croatia 3-0, Messi & Co. started off with a bang and were leading 2-0 till the 80th minute before France rode on Kylian Mbappe's twin strikes and levelled the scores to push the game to the extra time. In the extra time, Argentina was once again ahead by 3-2, with Messi striking for the second time in the contest before Mbappe's hat-trick pushed the game to the penalty shootout where Argentina ended on top (4-2). After the game, wishes have been pouring in from all corners for Argentina captain Messi. He had already revealed, post the Croatia win, that the Qatar final will be his last World Cup appearance and, hence, he ended his run in the mega event on a glorious note. Hence, many legends have joined in to wish the 35-year-old Messi. Roger Federer, who retired from tennis early this year, took to his official Instagram handle and wrote, "Fairytale stuff Argentina! Time and time again you @leomessi have redefined greatness. It’s a privilege to watch you. Congrats Leo & Special and historic," along with sharing a photo of Messi's famous World Cup trophy kiss. Here's the post: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) × Also read: 'Check back with me in 7 years' - Lionel Messi's fan's 2015 prediction goes viral after Argentina win FIFA WC At the presentation ceremony, Messi was awarded the Golden Ball and he ended as the second-highest goal-scorer (7) in the tournament with his PSG teammate and French star Mbappe ending with eight (to win the Golden Boot Award). In addition, he made it clear that his international career has not ended and he will continue to play as a 'champion' post the WC win. Hence, he will like to add more titles to his cabinet after ending his WC run on a high. Messi forced to cover his Argentina shirt After the splendid win, captain Messi was forced to cover his Argentina shirt with a black and gold robe while being given the World Cup trophy during the presentation ceremony. As he made his way up to the stage, the veteran was handed a black robe by the Emir of Qatar -- also the owner of Messi's French club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Just then, the BBC commentator Guy Mowbray declared it "the night the true king of football is coronated". The robe, however, meant that's Messi's blue and white national jersey wasn't on full display while receiving the trophy. After this, the presenter Gary Lineker said: "Amazing scenes, great pictures from above and great pictures from inside the ground as Argentina win the World Cup for the third time." He added, "It seems a shame, in a way, that they've covered up Messi in his Argentina shirt."

'You have....' - Roger Federer lauds Lionel Messi with a heartfelt post after Argentina win FIFA World Cup

<p>On Sunday (December 18), Argentina defeated France in the FIFA World Cup 2022 final, at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar, to lift their first-ever WC title after 1986. Lionel Messi &amp; Co. dominated proceedings till the 80th minute, leading 2-0, before Kylian Mbappe's twin strikes brought his side back and stretched it to the extra time, which ended in a 3-3 scoreline taking the game to the penalty shootout. In the penalties, Argentina prevailed on top, by 4-2, to return home with the elusive title.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After the game, Messi's fan's 2015 Twitter post has gone viral. In a tweet, the fan said, "December 18, 2022. 34 year old Leo Messi will win the World Cup and become the greatest player of all times. Check back with me in 7 years." The post caught everyone's attention prior to the FIFA WC finale but went viral in no time post Argentina's famous win over the defending champions France. <strong>Here's the tweet:</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">December 18, 2022. 34 year old Leo Messi will win the World Cup and become the greatest player of all times. Check back with me in 7 years.</p>
— José Miguel Polanco (@josepolanco10) <a href="https://twitter.com/josepolanco10/status/579016398694805504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<p>It is to be noted that the post has become a huge hit on the social media platform Twitter, garnering&nbsp;in excess of 58,000 retweets and more than 1,50,000 likes.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/all-aligned-for-the-stars-heres-eerie-similarities-between-srts-2011-odi-wc-messis-fifa-wc-run-544485">All aligned for the 'stars'! Here's EERIE similarities between SRT's 2011 ODI WC &amp; Messi's FIFA WC run</a></strong></p>

<p>Talking about the 35-year-old Messi, he&nbsp;ended his World Cup run on an emphatic fashion. Having already revealed that the Qatar final will be his last-ever World Cup appearance, the Argentina captain couldn't have asked for a better end as his two goals kept the national side ahead in the contest and he also found the back of the net in the penalty shooutouts. The Argentina legend ended with the Golden Ball Award and became the first-ever to win it twice (having already won in the 2014 edition). Having lost the opportunity to win the FIFA WC in 2014, when Germany defeated Argentina in the final, Messi has moved past the past struggles to end his fifth and final WC appearance with the coveted title.&nbsp;</p>


On Sunday (December 18), Argentina defeated France in the FIFA World Cup 2022 final, at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar, to lift their first-ever WC title after 1986. Lionel Messi & Co.

On Sunday (December 18), Argentina defeated France in the FIFA World Cup 2022 final, at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar, to lift their first-ever WC title after 1986. Lionel Messi & Co. dominated proceedings till the 80th minute, leading 2-0, before Kylian Mbappe's twin strikes brought his side back and stretched it to the extra time, which ended in a 3-3 scoreline taking the game to the penalty shootout. In the penalties, Argentina prevailed on top, by 4-2, to return home with the elusive title. After the game, Messi's fan's 2015 Twitter post has gone viral. In a tweet, the fan said, "December 18, 2022. 34 year old Leo Messi will win the World Cup and become the greatest player of all times. Check back with me in 7 years." The post caught everyone's attention prior to the FIFA WC finale but went viral in no time post Argentina's famous win over the defending champions France. Here's the tweet: December 18, 2022. 34 year old Leo Messi will win the World Cup and become the greatest player of all times. Check back with me in 7 years. — José Miguel Polanco (@josepolanco10) March 20, 2015 × It is to be noted that the post has become a huge hit on the social media platform Twitter, garnering in excess of 58,000 retweets and more than 1,50,000 likes. Also read: All aligned for the 'stars'! Here's EERIE similarities between SRT's 2011 ODI WC & Messi's FIFA WC run Talking about the 35-year-old Messi, he ended his World Cup run on an emphatic fashion. Having already revealed that the Qatar final will be his last-ever World Cup appearance, the Argentina captain couldn't have asked for a better end as his two goals kept the national side ahead in the contest and he also found the back of the net in the penalty shooutouts. The Argentina legend ended with the Golden Ball Award and became the first-ever to win it twice (having already won in the 2014 edition). Having lost the opportunity to win the FIFA WC in 2014, when Germany defeated Argentina in the final, Messi has moved past the past struggles to end his fifth and final WC appearance with the coveted title.

'Check back with me in 7 years' - Lionel Messi's fan's 2015 prediction goes viral after Argentina win FIFA WC

<p>The FIFA World Cup 2022 edition lived up to expectations. The riveting group stage was followed by the Round of 16, hard-fought quarters, semi-finals before the final was one for the ages, involding Argentina and France. The two heavyweights locked horns, at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, where Lionel Messi-led Argentina line-up ended their 36-year-drought to win the FIFA World Cup trophy in a nail-biting finale. After leading the French line-up 2-0 till the 80th minute, Argentina conceded two goals in succession before the match remained poised, at 3-3, after end of extra time. In the penalty shootout, Argentina edged past the defending champions, by a 4-2 margin, to end on a high.</p>

<p>Post the end of the FIFA WC, in Qatar, some eerie similarities have been brought forward between Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar's 2011 ODI World Cup run and Messi's overall journey in the recently-concluded event in the Middle East. <strong>Here are some glaring similarities:</strong></p>

<p><strong>1:</strong> Both donned Jersey No. 10</p>

<p><strong>2.</strong> Both Tendulkar and Messi had lost the World Cup final eight years back. SRT-starrer India had lost the 2003 ODI WC final whereas Argentina came second, versus Germany, in the 2014 final of the FIFA WC.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/who-earns-the-most-between-lionel-messi-or-kylian-mbappe-at-psg-find-out-544475">Who earns the most between Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappe at PSG? Find out</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>3.&nbsp;</strong>Interestingly, Messi and Tendulkar were the Player-of-the-Match in the semi-finals of their respective victorious WC campaigns. SRT won it in India-Pakistan tie in 2011 whereas Messi returned with the award in the semi-final versus Croatia for solitary goal and splendid assist to Julian Alvarez.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>4.&nbsp;</strong>Both ended their last WC winning the coveted title. While Tendulkar won it in his sixth WC, Messi got to the feat in his fifth attempt.</p>

<p>After taking Argentina to the mega title, Messi spoke about his international future, having already cleared the air that this was his last WC. Post his side's historic win, he told TyC Sports, as quoted by Goal.com, "No, I'm not going to retiring from the Argentina national team. I want to continue playing as a champion." In addition, the 35-year-old returned with the Golden Ball Award, becoming the&nbsp;first player to win it twice (having earlier&nbsp;won in 2014).&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Tendulkar took to his official Twitter handle and wrote, "Many congratulations to Argentina on doing this for Messi! Wonderful comeback from the way they started the campaign. Special mention to Martinez for the spectacular save towards the end of extra time. That was a clear indication to me that Argentina would clinch this."</p>

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The FIFA World Cup 2022 edition lived up to expectations. The riveting group stage was followed by the Round of 16, hard-fought quarters, semi-finals before the final was one for the ages, involding Argentina and France.

The FIFA World Cup 2022 edition lived up to expectations. The riveting group stage was followed by the Round of 16, hard-fought quarters, semi-finals before the final was one for the ages, involding Argentina and France. The two heavyweights locked horns, at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, where Lionel Messi-led Argentina line-up ended their 36-year-drought to win the FIFA World Cup trophy in a nail-biting finale. After leading the French line-up 2-0 till the 80th minute, Argentina conceded two goals in succession before the match remained poised, at 3-3, after end of extra time. In the penalty shootout, Argentina edged past the defending champions, by a 4-2 margin, to end on a high. Post the end of the FIFA WC, in Qatar, some eerie similarities have been brought forward between Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar's 2011 ODI World Cup run and Messi's overall journey in the recently-concluded event in the Middle East. Here are some glaring similarities: 1: Both donned Jersey No. 10 2. Both Tendulkar and Messi had lost the World Cup final eight years back. SRT-starrer India had lost the 2003 ODI WC final whereas Argentina came second, versus Germany, in the 2014 final of the FIFA WC. Also read: Who earns the most between Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappe at PSG? Find out 3. Interestingly, Messi and Tendulkar were the Player-of-the-Match in the semi-finals of their respective victorious WC campaigns. SRT won it in India-Pakistan tie in 2011 whereas Messi returned with the award in the semi-final versus Croatia for solitary goal and splendid assist to Julian Alvarez. 4. Both ended their last WC winning the coveted title. While Tendulkar won it in his sixth WC, Messi got to the feat in his fifth attempt. After taking Argentina to the mega title, Messi spoke about his international future, having already cleared the air that this was his last WC. Post his side's historic win, he told TyC Sports, as quoted by Goal.com, "No, I'm not going to retiring from the Argentina national team. I want to continue playing as a champion." In addition, the 35-year-old returned with the Golden Ball Award, becoming the first player to win it twice (having earlier won in 2014). Meanwhile, Tendulkar took to his official Twitter handle and wrote, "Many congratulations to Argentina on doing this for Messi! Wonderful comeback from the way they started the campaign. Special mention to Martinez for the spectacular save towards the end of extra time. That was a clear indication to me that Argentina would clinch this." ×

All aligned for the 'stars'! Here's EERIE similarities between SRT's 2011 ODI WC & Messi's FIFA WC run

<p>France and Argentina produced a FIFA World Cup final which will be remembered for a long time. On Sunday evening (December 18), Lionel Messi-led Argentina locked horns with defending champions and the Kylian Mbappe-starrer France at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar in front of a huge crowd. While Argentina enjoyed a 2-0 lead till the 80th minute, the momentum shifted towards France with Mbappe's twin strikes taking the game to the extra time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At 2-2 after the end of regulation time, Messi found the back of the net in the 108th minute only for Mbappe to level the scores, at 3-3, in the 118th minute and take the game to the penalties. In the shootouts, Argentina held their nerves and took the game 4-2 to win their first-ever World Cup title after 1986. Post the dramatic loss, Mbappe -- who also scored in the shootout -- was left heartbroken and inconsolable. After the game, French president&nbsp;Emmanuel Macron won hearts as he was seen consoling the 23-year-old star footballer. <strong>Here's the video:</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The awesome player of France 🇫🇷 named Kylian Mbappé is being consoled by French President Emmanuel Macron. <a href="https://t.co/0BbdJv18TJ">pic.twitter.com/0BbdJv18TJ</a></p>
— SKI (@UKSKISAAC) <a href="https://twitter.com/UKSKISAAC/status/1604553921783271424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-pele-srt-to-sundar-pichai-reactions-galore-as-messis-dream-comes-true-with-argentina-winning-fifa-wc-544379">From Pele, SRT to Sundar Pichai: Reactions galore as Messi's dream comes true with Argentina winning FIFA WC</a></strong></p>

<p>Macron even entered the dressing room and lifted France's spirits. In a video, shared on his official Twitter handle, he said, "You have made millions of French men and women dream so far and still today they have vibrated.&nbsp;You thrilled billions of people who watched this game.&nbsp;You have done great football and great sport.&nbsp;The lessons you will learn.&nbsp;There will undoubtedly be regrets after this match.&nbsp;I would like you to not have too many regrets please.&nbsp;Listen to me carefully.&nbsp;You’re a really great team because I don’t think there’s any other team that could have done what you’ve done so far, to come back twice and come so close to winning it."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="fr">Fiers de vous. <a href="https://t.co/9RMjIGMKGU">pic.twitter.com/9RMjIGMKGU</a></p>
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) <a href="https://twitter.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/1604581493287792642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>After the game, Mbappe won the Golden Boot Award as he ended with as many as eight goals in the 32-nation competition, including a hat-trick in the finale versus Argentina at the Lusial Stadium, Qatar. Meanwhile, Messi -- Mbappe's Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) teammate -- returned with the Golden Ball Award with the Frenchman coming second and Croatia's Luka Modric ending third.&nbsp;</p>


France and Argentina produced a FIFA World Cup final which will be remembered for a long time. On Sunday evening (December 18), Lionel Messi-led Argentina locked horns with defending champions and the Kylian Mbappe-starrer France at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar in front of a huge crowd.

France and Argentina produced a FIFA World Cup final which will be remembered for a long time. On Sunday evening (December 18), Lionel Messi-led Argentina locked horns with defending champions and the Kylian Mbappe-starrer France at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar in front of a huge crowd. While Argentina enjoyed a 2-0 lead till the 80th minute, the momentum shifted towards France with Mbappe's twin strikes taking the game to the extra time. At 2-2 after the end of regulation time, Messi found the back of the net in the 108th minute only for Mbappe to level the scores, at 3-3, in the 118th minute and take the game to the penalties. In the shootouts, Argentina held their nerves and took the game 4-2 to win their first-ever World Cup title after 1986. Post the dramatic loss, Mbappe -- who also scored in the shootout -- was left heartbroken and inconsolable. After the game, French president Emmanuel Macron won hearts as he was seen consoling the 23-year-old star footballer. Here's the video: The awesome player of France 🇫🇷 named Kylian Mbappé is being consoled by French President Emmanuel Macron. pic.twitter.com/0BbdJv18TJ — SKI (@UKSKISAAC) December 18, 2022 × Also read: From Pele, SRT to Sundar Pichai: Reactions galore as Messi's dream comes true with Argentina winning FIFA WC Macron even entered the dressing room and lifted France's spirits. In a video, shared on his official Twitter handle, he said, "You have made millions of French men and women dream so far and still today they have vibrated. You thrilled billions of people who watched this game. You have done great football and great sport. The lessons you will learn. There will undoubtedly be regrets after this match. I would like you to not have too many regrets please. Listen to me carefully. You’re a really great team because I don’t think there’s any other team that could have done what you’ve done so far, to come back twice and come so close to winning it." Fiers de vous. pic.twitter.com/9RMjIGMKGU — Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) December 18, 2022 × After the game, Mbappe won the Golden Boot Award as he ended with as many as eight goals in the 32-nation competition, including a hat-trick in the finale versus Argentina at the Lusial Stadium, Qatar. Meanwhile, Messi -- Mbappe's Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) teammate -- returned with the Golden Ball Award with the Frenchman coming second and Croatia's Luka Modric ending third.

WATCH: UNMISSABLE! French President Emmanuel Macron consoles Kylian Mbappe after FIFA WC final loss

"I think Argentina deserved the win and Lionel Messi deserved it for all", says Hugo Javier Gobbi, Argentina envoy to India while speaking to WION on his nation's win against France at FIFA World Cup 2022. He also added that it was a match between the best two teams in the world.

'Argentina deserved to win the match', says Argentine envoy to India Hugo Javier Gobbi

<p>Google CEO Sundar Pichai took to his official Twitter handle on Monday and revealed that the FIFA World Cup final match has broken all records of searches on the search engine.&nbsp; All eyes were on Sunday's final match between France and Argentina, one of the biggest game nights in World Cup history. Qatar's Lusail Stadium was fully-packed with 1.5 lakh football fans from all around the world, and millions were glued to their televisions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Amidst all the celebrations, Google CEO Pichai revealed an interesting development about the 2022 FIFA World Cup finale.&nbsp;Pichai revealed in a tweet that Google search had its highest-ever traffic in 25 years during the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday night.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/after-the-final-show-at-2022-fifa-world-cup-fans-react-with-hilarious-messi-vs-mbappe-memes-544437">After the final show at 2022 FIFA World Cup, fans react with hilarious Messi vs Mbappe memes</a></p>

<p>"Search recorded its highest ever traffic in 25 years during the final of #FIFAWorldCup, it was like the entire world was searching about one thing", Pichai wrote in his tweet on Monday.</p>

<p>Sundar Pichai's tweet got viral among football fans in no time, while it also received an interesting remark from the&nbsp;popular podcaster and Youtuber Lex Fridman, "Awesome. Over a billion people tuned in, united by their love of the game. That's the best thing about football: it's a truly global game that unites us".</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Search recorded its highest ever traffic in 25 years during the final of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWorldCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWorldCup</a> , it was like the entire world was searching about one thing!</p>
— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) <a href="https://twitter.com/sundarpichai/status/1604693748767608832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>The online space was buzzing with the FIFA world cup only and after France's third goal, Twitter was also flooded with a record number of tweets. Elon Musk wrote on his Twitter account, "24,400 tweets per second for France’s goal, highest ever for World Cup!".</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">24,400 tweets per second for France’s goal, highest ever for World Cup!</p>
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1604520708570517504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>France came very close to Argentina, drawing with them 3-3 after extra time, but lost on penalties. Kylian Mbappe starred with his hat trick, going on to win the Golden Boot.</p>

<p>For Messi, it was a big moment of personal victory&nbsp;as he crowned his glorious football career with the game's ultimate prize, the World Cup trophy. Messi told AFP,&nbsp;"I want to keep experiencing a few more matches as world champion", and expressed his wishes to play more matches for Argentina.&nbsp;</p>

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Google CEO Sundar Pichai took to his official Twitter handle on Monday and revealed that the FIFA World Cup final match has broken all records of searches on the search engine.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai took to his official Twitter handle on Monday and revealed that the FIFA World Cup final match has broken all records of searches on the search engine. All eyes were on Sunday's final match between France and Argentina, one of the biggest game nights in World Cup history. Qatar's Lusail Stadium was fully-packed with 1.5 lakh football fans from all around the world, and millions were glued to their televisions. Amidst all the celebrations, Google CEO Pichai revealed an interesting development about the 2022 FIFA World Cup finale. Pichai revealed in a tweet that Google search had its highest-ever traffic in 25 years during the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday night. Also Read | After the final show at 2022 FIFA World Cup, fans react with hilarious Messi vs Mbappe memes "Search recorded its highest ever traffic in 25 years during the final of #FIFAWorldCup, it was like the entire world was searching about one thing", Pichai wrote in his tweet on Monday. Sundar Pichai's tweet got viral among football fans in no time, while it also received an interesting remark from the popular podcaster and Youtuber Lex Fridman, "Awesome. Over a billion people tuned in, united by their love of the game. That's the best thing about football: it's a truly global game that unites us". Search recorded its highest ever traffic in 25 years during the final of #FIFAWorldCup , it was like the entire world was searching about one thing! — Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) December 19, 2022 × The online space was buzzing with the FIFA world cup only and after France's third goal, Twitter was also flooded with a record number of tweets. Elon Musk wrote on his Twitter account, "24,400 tweets per second for France’s goal, highest ever for World Cup!". 24,400 tweets per second for France’s goal, highest ever for World Cup! — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 18, 2022 × France came very close to Argentina, drawing with them 3-3 after extra time, but lost on penalties. Kylian Mbappe starred with his hat trick, going on to win the Golden Boot. For Messi, it was a big moment of personal victory as he crowned his glorious football career with the game's ultimate prize, the World Cup trophy. Messi told AFP, "I want to keep experiencing a few more matches as world champion", and expressed his wishes to play more matches for Argentina.

FIFA World Cup 2022 broke all records! Sundar Pichai reveals highest Google Search's record in 25 years

'It was a match between the best two teams in the world', said Argentine envoy to India Hugo Javier Gobbi on Argentina's FIFA World Cup 2022 victory.

'Argentina deserved to win the match', says Argentine envoy to India

<p>Argentina won the FIFA World Cup 2022 on Sunday, 18 December, after defeating defending champions France by 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 tie after extra time. Argentina has won the World Cup three times. The trophy was last lifted by Diego Maradona in Mexico City back in 1986.\Mbappe, who had a standout performance for Les Bleus, won the Golden Boot award for scoring eight goals and assisting two others as he nearly led France to a record title defence. &nbsp;</p>

<p>France was almost absent in the first half, but Mbappe single-handedly brought France back into the game and kept them there until the final minute, when Martinez took away the dream of France winning the World Cup title.</p>

<p>In Pics |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-argentina-win-2022-fifa-world-cup-final-544397">Argentina win 2022 FIFA World Cup Final</a></p>

<p>As soon as the finals were over Argentina fans took to social media to celebrate their favourite team’s win with heartwarming tweets and memes. Take a look at some of the memes:</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Fitting Finale 🔥💥🎉. MESSI deserves this Glorious finish to his GOAT carrier. Congrats <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Argentina?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Argentina</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ArgentinaVsFrance?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ArgentinaVsFrance</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWorldCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWorldCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/L2JKWSdd9Z">pic.twitter.com/L2JKWSdd9Z</a></p>
— Rathna kumar (@MrRathna) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrRathna/status/1604544966700646400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">my mind constantly switches from „tomorrow gonna be 2014 all over again“ to „tomorrow gonna be our best day ever“ every damn second and it’s exhausting <a href="https://t.co/TIWYACPOEq">pic.twitter.com/TIWYACPOEq</a></p>
— Gabs 🦋❤️‍🩹 (@gabsique95) <a href="https://twitter.com/gabsique95/status/1604230566022455296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The 2022 FIFA World Cup Final <a href="https://t.co/1z99zZb3io">pic.twitter.com/1z99zZb3io</a></p>
— Douglas Reyes-Ceron (@dreyesceron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dreyesceron/status/1604522351256813569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">"A France player receives the ball."<br />
<br />
Argentina players: <a href="https://t.co/qTZh0csOTn">pic.twitter.com/qTZh0csOTn</a></p>
— Soccer Memes (@SoccerMemes) <a href="https://twitter.com/SoccerMemes/status/1604515901415763968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Mbappe and Messi at the first PSG training session after the World Cup <a href="https://t.co/msX6xyXJFy">pic.twitter.com/msX6xyXJFy</a></p>
— Soccer Memes (@SoccerMemes) <a href="https://twitter.com/SoccerMemes/status/1604515278049927168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Football, bloody hell.</p>
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) <a href="https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1604531283543179264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>The highlight of the final match apart from the Argentina team was also the French player, Kylian Mbappe.&nbsp;Memes abound on social media following an unforgettable World Cup final, whether it was the crucial moment in the game that proved to be a turning point or the fact that Mbappe suddenly woke up in the second half and chose violence.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Mbappe in the 2nd half <a href="https://t.co/metwiUW2Zf">pic.twitter.com/metwiUW2Zf</a></p>
— Soccer Memes (@SoccerMemes) <a href="https://twitter.com/SoccerMemes/status/1604518974968004615?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">What Argentina Vs. France really was🙏 <a href="https://t.co/hocmPealYN">pic.twitter.com/hocmPealYN</a></p>
— XDarkskal (@DarkskalX) <a href="https://twitter.com/DarkskalX/status/1604563842393964544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="fr">Wtf france, résumé du match: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ARGFRA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ARGFRA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ArgentinaVsFrance?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ArgentinaVsFrance</a> <a href="https://t.co/1GRVqpwnhM">pic.twitter.com/1GRVqpwnhM</a></p>
— Maximz__ (@ice_maximz) <a href="https://twitter.com/ice_maximz/status/1604522112143736836?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Mbappe in the last 10 minutes <a href="https://t.co/RL7Bubg5QA">pic.twitter.com/RL7Bubg5QA</a></p>
— Soccer Memes (@SoccerMemes) <a href="https://twitter.com/SoccerMemes/status/1604518958064877569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="fr">Mbappé said: <a href="https://t.co/B0Fux1ZwS2">pic.twitter.com/B0Fux1ZwS2</a></p>
— Avry's Sports Show (@Avry) <a href="https://twitter.com/Avry/status/1604519604147351552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">My god, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWorldCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWorldCup</a>. This game is a gorgeous, evil curse. I love it so much make it stop.</p>
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) <a href="https://twitter.com/VancityReynolds/status/1604529535281774592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>As Ryan Reynolds says, the football final match was a gorgeous game. Messi and Mbappe both scored in the extra time to take the game to the penalties before the legendary footballer himself, Paulo Dybala, Leonardo Paredes, and Gonzalo Montiel scored for Argentina and the team lifted the trophy.&nbsp;</p>


Argentina won the FIFA World Cup 2022 on Sunday, 18 December, after defeating defending champions France by 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 tie after extra time. Argentina has won the World Cup three times.

Argentina won the FIFA World Cup 2022 on Sunday, 18 December, after defeating defending champions France by 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 tie after extra time. Argentina has won the World Cup three times. The trophy was last lifted by Diego Maradona in Mexico City back in 1986.\Mbappe, who had a standout performance for Les Bleus, won the Golden Boot award for scoring eight goals and assisting two others as he nearly led France to a record title defence. France was almost absent in the first half, but Mbappe single-handedly brought France back into the game and kept them there until the final minute, when Martinez took away the dream of France winning the World Cup title. In Pics | Argentina win 2022 FIFA World Cup Final As soon as the finals were over Argentina fans took to social media to celebrate their favourite team’s win with heartwarming tweets and memes. Take a look at some of the memes: Fitting Finale 🔥💥🎉. MESSI deserves this Glorious finish to his GOAT carrier. Congrats #Argentina#ArgentinaVsFrance #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/L2JKWSdd9Z — Rathna kumar (@MrRathna) December 18, 2022 × my mind constantly switches from „tomorrow gonna be 2014 all over again“ to „tomorrow gonna be our best day ever“ every damn second and it’s exhausting pic.twitter.com/TIWYACPOEq — Gabs 🦋❤️‍🩹 (@gabsique95) December 17, 2022 × The 2022 FIFA World Cup Final pic.twitter.com/1z99zZb3io — Douglas Reyes-Ceron (@dreyesceron) December 18, 2022 × "A France player receives the ball." Argentina players: pic.twitter.com/qTZh0csOTn — Soccer Memes (@SoccerMemes) December 18, 2022 × Mbappe and Messi at the first PSG training session after the World Cup pic.twitter.com/msX6xyXJFy — Soccer Memes (@SoccerMemes) December 18, 2022 × Football, bloody hell. — Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 18, 2022 × The highlight of the final match apart from the Argentina team was also the French player, Kylian Mbappe. Memes abound on social media following an unforgettable World Cup final, whether it was the crucial moment in the game that proved to be a turning point or the fact that Mbappe suddenly woke up in the second half and chose violence. Mbappe in the 2nd half pic.twitter.com/metwiUW2Zf — Soccer Memes (@SoccerMemes) December 18, 2022 × What Argentina Vs. France really was🙏 pic.twitter.com/hocmPealYN — XDarkskal (@DarkskalX) December 18, 2022 × Wtf france, résumé du match: #ARGFRA #ArgentinaVsFrance pic.twitter.com/1GRVqpwnhM — Maximz__ (@ice_maximz) December 18, 2022 × Mbappe in the last 10 minutes pic.twitter.com/RL7Bubg5QA — Soccer Memes (@SoccerMemes) December 18, 2022 × Mbappé said: pic.twitter.com/B0Fux1ZwS2 — Avry's Sports Show (@Avry) December 18, 2022 × My god, #FIFAWorldCup. This game is a gorgeous, evil curse. I love it so much make it stop. — Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) December 18, 2022 × As Ryan Reynolds says, the football final match was a gorgeous game. Messi and Mbappe both scored in the extra time to take the game to the penalties before the legendary footballer himself, Paulo Dybala, Leonardo Paredes, and Gonzalo Montiel scored for Argentina and the team lifted the trophy.

After the final show at 2022 FIFA World Cup, fans react with hilarious Messi vs Mbappe memes

<p>Magical Lionel Messi had an instant impact on the final of the FIFA World Cup here in Qatar after he fired a penalty to the&nbsp;back of the net to grant Argentina an advantage in the 21st minute of the match.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With the goal, Messi went level with legendary Pele in the number of goals (12) scored at the World Cup. The goal meant that Messi had his hands firmly on the golden boot as well with 6 goals.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The penalty was earned by none other than Angel Di Maria who had Dembele on tenterhooks since the beginning of the game. With France tucked in a compact shape, the winger was forced to do the defensive work and came up short against the Argentine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The second goal was created via a beautiful move that started deep in the Argentine territory with Messi's pass providing the finesse. In the end, it was Di&nbsp;Maria again who found himself in the thick of things as he calmly slotted the ball past Lloris after receiving a gently rolled ball from MacAllister.&nbsp;</p>

<p>La Albiceleste were off the blocks swiftly and attacked the French box within the first 10 minutes. Meanwhile, the defending champions were happy to allow Argentina have the ball.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">BIG BIG step towards the 🏆 dream 🙌🏻<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Messi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Messi</a> scores his 6️⃣th goal of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Qatar2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Qatar2022</a> &amp; no better time than this 🔥<br />
<br />
Can the <a href="https://twitter.com/FrenchTeam?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FrenchTeam</a> strike back? Find out LIVE on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JioCinema?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JioCinema</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sports18?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Sports18</a> 📺📲<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ARGFRA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ARGFRA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWorldCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWorldCup</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWConJioCinema?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWConJioCinema</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWConSports18?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWConSports18</a> <a href="https://t.co/Io6fyc2uRm">pic.twitter.com/Io6fyc2uRm</a></p>
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) <a href="https://twitter.com/JioCinema/status/1604506440210984962?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Di Maria goal to double the lead for Argentina 🔥🔥<br />
<a href="https://t.co/v52gpVdwW0">pic.twitter.com/v52gpVdwW0</a></p>
— Adriana 🇫🇷🇪🇸🇬🇷🇩🇴 (@Adrianamessi30) <a href="https://twitter.com/Adrianamessi30/status/1604501345750245378?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>Argentina had the first crack at the French goalpost when previous match hero Julian Alvarez placed one for MacAllister who let it fly from outside the box, straight into the cupping hands of Lloris.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Playing XIs:</strong></p>

<p>The French camp had a tumultuous 48 hours leading into the World Cup final. A serious bout of illness and minor injuries meant that several players were having a race against time to get fit for, arguably, the biggest game of their careers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Deschamps decided to make two changes to the lineup from the one that played against Croatia. Defender Dayot Upamecaon and midfielder Adrien Rabiot replaced Ibrahima Konate and Youssouf Fofana.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As for Argentina, Scalnoi brought his big match player Ángel Di María in place of Leandro Parades as the only change. With Ousmane Dembele not tracking back and Tchoumaeni expected to be loitering high up the pitch, Scaloni's plan was to overload the left side with Kounde teaming up with Di Maria.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


Magical Lionel Messi had an instant impact on the final of the FIFA World Cup here in Qatar after he fired a penalty to the back of the net to grant Argentina an advantage in the 21st minute of the match.

Magical Lionel Messi had an instant impact on the final of the FIFA World Cup here in Qatar after he fired a penalty to the back of the net to grant Argentina an advantage in the 21st minute of the match. With the goal, Messi went level with legendary Pele in the number of goals (12) scored at the World Cup. The goal meant that Messi had his hands firmly on the golden boot as well with 6 goals. The penalty was earned by none other than Angel Di Maria who had Dembele on tenterhooks since the beginning of the game. With France tucked in a compact shape, the winger was forced to do the defensive work and came up short against the Argentine. The second goal was created via a beautiful move that started deep in the Argentine territory with Messi's pass providing the finesse. In the end, it was Di Maria again who found himself in the thick of things as he calmly slotted the ball past Lloris after receiving a gently rolled ball from MacAllister. La Albiceleste were off the blocks swiftly and attacked the French box within the first 10 minutes. Meanwhile, the defending champions were happy to allow Argentina have the ball. BIG BIG step towards the 🏆 dream 🙌🏻#Messi scores his 6️⃣th goal of #Qatar2022 & no better time than this 🔥 Can the @FrenchTeam strike back? Find out LIVE on #JioCinema & #Sports18 📺📲#ARGFRA #FIFAWorldCup #FIFAWConJioCinema #FIFAWConSports18 pic.twitter.com/Io6fyc2uRm — JioCinema (@JioCinema) December 18, 2022 × Di Maria goal to double the lead for Argentina 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/v52gpVdwW0 — Adriana 🇫🇷🇪🇸🇬🇷🇩🇴 (@Adrianamessi30) December 18, 2022 × Argentina had the first crack at the French goalpost when previous match hero Julian Alvarez placed one for MacAllister who let it fly from outside the box, straight into the cupping hands of Lloris. Playing XIs: The French camp had a tumultuous 48 hours leading into the World Cup final. A serious bout of illness and minor injuries meant that several players were having a race against time to get fit for, arguably, the biggest game of their careers. Deschamps decided to make two changes to the lineup from the one that played against Croatia. Defender Dayot Upamecaon and midfielder Adrien Rabiot replaced Ibrahima Konate and Youssouf Fofana. As for Argentina, Scalnoi brought his big match player Ángel Di María in place of Leandro Parades as the only change. With Ousmane Dembele not tracking back and Tchoumaeni expected to be loitering high up the pitch, Scaloni's plan was to overload the left side with Kounde teaming up with Di Maria. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

WATCH | Argentina lead through Messi and Di Maria's strike in the final of FIFA WC 2022

<p><strong>FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France:&nbsp;</strong>The world on Sunday gear up for the biggest sporting event – the final of FIFA World Cup 2022 between France and Argentina in Qatar. The clash everyone was eagerly waiting for is finally upon us as either of Kylian Mbappe or Lionel Messi will be crowned the world champion tonight.</p>

<p>While Argentina will be playing their sixth World Cup final, last-time winners France will play their fourth. Both teams have won the FIFA World Cup twice in the past with Argentina doing it in 1978 and 1986, whereas, France was crowned champions for the first time in 1998. In 2018 in Russia, they defeated Croatia 4-2 to claim top prize for the second time.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2022-france-get-a-lucky-break-as-entire-squad-trains-after-virus-setback-544075">FIFA World Cup 2022: France get a lucky break as entire squad trains after virus setback</a></p>

<p>Ahead of the mega-clash where two star-studded teams will lock horns for the ultimate prize in football, let’s have a look at where and when the final match of the FIFA World Cup will be taking place.</p>

<p><strong>Here is everything you need to know about FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France: –</strong></p>

<p><strong>When is the FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France?</strong></p>

<p>The FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France<strong>&nbsp;</strong>will take place between Argentina and France on 18th December, Sunday.</p>

<p><strong>Where is the FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France?</strong></p>

<p>The final of the FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France will take place at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar.</p>

<p><strong>What time will the FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France&nbsp;start?</strong></p>

<p>The&nbsp;FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France&nbsp;will start at 18:00 PM local time while the fans in India can watch the live coverage at 20:30 PM IST.</p>

<p><strong>Where can we watch the FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps,&nbsp; and broadcast&nbsp;TV Channel Argentina vs France?</strong></p>

<p>For the fans based out in India, they can watch FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France live on TV on Sports 18 and Sports 18 HD channels, while those who wish to stream online can enjoy watching the clash on JioCinema app.</p>

<p><strong>FIFA World Cup 2022 Semi-finals results</strong></p>

<p>While Argentina beat last-time finalists Croatia 3-0 in the first semi-final, France handed Morocco its first defeat in this FIFA World Cup 2022 in the second semi with a 2-0 win.</p>

<p><strong>FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France Head-to-Head</strong></p>

<p>Both Argentina and France have met 13 times the past across all competitions; at the FIFA World Cups, this will be their fourth meeting. While Argentina lost their last encounter against France in 2018, they were victorious over the Les Bleus on the first two occasions.</p>

<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-final-2022-live-coverage-argentina-vs-france-live-updates-lusail-stadium-ready-for-the-final-showdown-544211"><strong>Follow Live Updates of&nbsp;FIFA World Cup final Argentina vs France here</strong></a></h2>


FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France: The world on Sunday gear up for the biggest sporting event – the final of FIFA World Cup 2022 between France and Argentina in Qatar.

FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France: The world on Sunday gear up for the biggest sporting event – the final of FIFA World Cup 2022 between France and Argentina in Qatar. The clash everyone was eagerly waiting for is finally upon us as either of Kylian Mbappe or Lionel Messi will be crowned the world champion tonight. While Argentina will be playing their sixth World Cup final, last-time winners France will play their fourth. Both teams have won the FIFA World Cup twice in the past with Argentina doing it in 1978 and 1986, whereas, France was crowned champions for the first time in 1998. In 2018 in Russia, they defeated Croatia 4-2 to claim top prize for the second time. ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup 2022: France get a lucky break as entire squad trains after virus setback Ahead of the mega-clash where two star-studded teams will lock horns for the ultimate prize in football, let’s have a look at where and when the final match of the FIFA World Cup will be taking place. Here is everything you need to know about FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France: – When is the FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France? The FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France will take place between Argentina and France on 18th December, Sunday. Where is the FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France? The final of the FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France will take place at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar. What time will the FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France start? The FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France will start at 18:00 PM local time while the fans in India can watch the live coverage at 20:30 PM IST. Where can we watch the FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, and broadcast TV Channel Argentina vs France? For the fans based out in India, they can watch FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France live on TV on Sports 18 and Sports 18 HD channels, while those who wish to stream online can enjoy watching the clash on JioCinema app. FIFA World Cup 2022 Semi-finals results While Argentina beat last-time finalists Croatia 3-0 in the first semi-final, France handed Morocco its first defeat in this FIFA World Cup 2022 in the second semi with a 2-0 win. FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France Head-to-Head Both Argentina and France have met 13 times the past across all competitions; at the FIFA World Cups, this will be their fourth meeting. While Argentina lost their last encounter against France in 2018, they were victorious over the Les Bleus on the first two occasions. Follow Live Updates of FIFA World Cup final Argentina vs France here

FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming & TV broadcast channel : Watch Argentina vs France online on mobile

<p>The final of FIFA World Cup 2022 is about to get underway in a couple of hours at the Lusail Stadium between France and Argentina. While billions of football fans across world will be cheering for either Lionel Messi' Argentina or Kylian Mbappe's France, the Indian cricket team members, who are currently in Bangladesh for the Test series, will be cheering for their favourites too.</p>

<p>On Sunday morning, the Indian team beat Bangladesh by 188 runs in the first Test in Chattogram. KL Rahul, India's stand-in skipper for this game, attended the presser where he was asked to predict&nbsp;the winner of the FIFA World Cup final, and how his team will be watching the mega clash between two former winners France and Argentina.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-2018-world-cup-winner-paul-pogba-wishes-fellow-teammates-good-luck-ahead-of-argentina-clash-544236">WATCH: 2018 World Cup winner Paul Pogba wishes fellow teammates good luck ahead of Argentina clash</a></p>

<p>Answering to that question, KL said, "Whichever team we were supporting are all out already. There were few Brazil fans, there were few England fans. So, I don't really know who is an Argentina or France supporter, so we'll just enjoy the game. We're watching the game together, and we'll have a good meal.</p>

<p>"Like I said five days after a game is really tiring, so enjoy tonight, watch the game. Final of the World Cup, we all love football. Most of you have seen we're always playing football, before warmups, even back in the room," Rahul added.</p>

<p>Rahul also said players&nbsp;will divided a bit on whom to support in tonight's final, adding&nbsp;that is what the fun factor will be.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"FIFA was big early on but the boys have relaxed a bit, there are other priorities, so it'll be interesting to watch the game today. We will be divided a little bit, that's what make watching sport fun," Rahul concluded.</p>

<p>India, meanwhile, after taking a 1-0 lead in the Test series, will move to Dhaka for the second Test which begins on December 22nd.&nbsp;</p>


The final of FIFA World Cup 2022 is about to get underway in a couple of hours at the Lusail Stadium between France and Argentina. While billions of football fans across world will be cheering for either Lionel Messi' Argentina or Kylian Mbappe's France, the Indian cricket team members, who are currently in Bangladesh for the Test series, will be cheering for their favourites too.

The final of FIFA World Cup 2022 is about to get underway in a couple of hours at the Lusail Stadium between France and Argentina. While billions of football fans across world will be cheering for either Lionel Messi' Argentina or Kylian Mbappe's France, the Indian cricket team members, who are currently in Bangladesh for the Test series, will be cheering for their favourites too. On Sunday morning, the Indian team beat Bangladesh by 188 runs in the first Test in Chattogram. KL Rahul, India's stand-in skipper for this game, attended the presser where he was asked to predict the winner of the FIFA World Cup final, and how his team will be watching the mega clash between two former winners France and Argentina. ALSO READ: WATCH: 2018 World Cup winner Paul Pogba wishes fellow teammates good luck ahead of Argentina clash Answering to that question, KL said, "Whichever team we were supporting are all out already. There were few Brazil fans, there were few England fans. So, I don't really know who is an Argentina or France supporter, so we'll just enjoy the game. We're watching the game together, and we'll have a good meal. "Like I said five days after a game is really tiring, so enjoy tonight, watch the game. Final of the World Cup, we all love football. Most of you have seen we're always playing football, before warmups, even back in the room," Rahul added. Rahul also said players will divided a bit on whom to support in tonight's final, adding that is what the fun factor will be. "FIFA was big early on but the boys have relaxed a bit, there are other priorities, so it'll be interesting to watch the game today. We will be divided a little bit, that's what make watching sport fun," Rahul concluded. India, meanwhile, after taking a 1-0 lead in the Test series, will move to Dhaka for the second Test which begins on December 22nd.

Here's how the Indian cricket team will be watching France-Argentina World Cup final

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidgau1wL9tgBrQ" /><meta charset="utf-8" />Former Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino believes that the clamour surrounding Argentine superstar Lionel Messi's defensive work is silly and that he needs others to do the running for him.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Honestly, I think the debate about Messi's defensive work is stale, almost silly,"&nbsp;Pochettino was quoted as saying by The Athletic.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 50-year-old former Tottenham Hotspur manager cited the example of Maradona and Pele and said:&nbsp;"You can't pretend that Maradona or Pele - along with Messi, the most important players in football - were focused on trying to win the ball back. He can't participate in that. He just needs others to run for him."</p>

<p>Ever since the two teams for the final were decided, questions were asked if Argentina's defensive line will be able to keep France's rapid wide players like Mbappe and Dembele quiet.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-final-argentina-vs-france-live-updates-lusail-stadium-ready-for-the-final-showdown-544211"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;FIFA World Cup final Argentina vs France LIVE updates: Nora Fatehi to perform at the Closing ceremony</strong></a></p>

<p>In the front two where Messi and Alvarez play in manager Lionel Scaloni's system, France are expected to have Kylian Mbappe with fullback Theo Hernandez, bombing forward on the left flank.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, with Messi not tracking back akin to modern players born and brought up in high-pressing systems, it is his teammates like Rodrigo de Paul that have to pick up the slack and ensure that Argentina are not hurt.</p>

<p>This has been the formula for Argentina's success this tournament. Messi has been allowed to occupy the half spaces across the pitch.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pep-shouldve-been-fired-7-8-times-says-pochettino-when-asked-about-his-psg-sacking-539790" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: 'Pep should've been fired 7-8 times', says Pochettino when asked about his PSG sacking</strong></a></p>

<p>It was perhaps one of the reasons why at the young age of 35 years, Messi was able to beat Gvardiol and manage to net himself a beautiful assist during the semifinal clash against Croatia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"That's the most important thing about this Argentina team and the reason why they are in the final. It's because the players understand their roles perfectly. When you have Messi on your team, you must run for him," said Pochettino.&nbsp;</p>

<p>If Messi begins to track back and embroil himself in dirty, defensive work, Argentina's offensive output suffers as he is the lynchpin, pulling string from the middle of the park by dropping deep.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Argentina and France will square up against each other, later in the evening at the Lusail Stadium. While Les Bleus will be attempting to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup trophy, Messi's men&nbsp; will be seeking to break a 36-year-old WC trophy drought.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Former Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino believes that the clamour surrounding Argentine superstar Lionel Messi's defensive work is silly and that he needs others to do the running for him.

Former Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino believes that the clamour surrounding Argentine superstar Lionel Messi's defensive work is silly and that he needs others to do the running for him. "Honestly, I think the debate about Messi's defensive work is stale, almost silly," Pochettino was quoted as saying by The Athletic. The 50-year-old former Tottenham Hotspur manager cited the example of Maradona and Pele and said: "You can't pretend that Maradona or Pele - along with Messi, the most important players in football - were focused on trying to win the ball back. He can't participate in that. He just needs others to run for him." Ever since the two teams for the final were decided, questions were asked if Argentina's defensive line will be able to keep France's rapid wide players like Mbappe and Dembele quiet. Read more: FIFA World Cup final Argentina vs France LIVE updates: Nora Fatehi to perform at the Closing ceremony In the front two where Messi and Alvarez play in manager Lionel Scaloni's system, France are expected to have Kylian Mbappe with fullback Theo Hernandez, bombing forward on the left flank. However, with Messi not tracking back akin to modern players born and brought up in high-pressing systems, it is his teammates like Rodrigo de Paul that have to pick up the slack and ensure that Argentina are not hurt. This has been the formula for Argentina's success this tournament. Messi has been allowed to occupy the half spaces across the pitch. Read more: 'Pep should've been fired 7-8 times', says Pochettino when asked about his PSG sacking It was perhaps one of the reasons why at the young age of 35 years, Messi was able to beat Gvardiol and manage to net himself a beautiful assist during the semifinal clash against Croatia. "That's the most important thing about this Argentina team and the reason why they are in the final. It's because the players understand their roles perfectly. When you have Messi on your team, you must run for him," said Pochettino. If Messi begins to track back and embroil himself in dirty, defensive work, Argentina's offensive output suffers as he is the lynchpin, pulling string from the middle of the park by dropping deep. Argentina and France will square up against each other, later in the evening at the Lusail Stadium. While Les Bleus will be attempting to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup trophy, Messi's men will be seeking to break a 36-year-old WC trophy drought. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'He needs others to run for him': Mauricio Pochettino on Lionel Messi ahead of World Cup final

<p>A World Cup winner himself, Paul Pogba has sent&nbsp;best wishes to his teammates ahead of the final against Argentina in Lusail, Qatar on Sunday. Pogba, who alongside Kylian Mbappe, Giroud and even Griezmann won last edition's World Cup in Russia, sent out a an inspiring&nbsp;message for the Les Blues.</p>

<p>A video tweet posted by the official handle of France's football page&nbsp;(in english), Pogba is heard saying, 'the final is not played, it is won...'</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/gareth-southgate-to-stay-as-england-manager-till-euro-2024-confirms-english-fa-544229">Gareth Southgate to stay as England manager till Euro 2024, confirms English FA</a>&nbsp;</p>

<p>You can listen to the whole&nbsp;message in the tweet given below -</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A quick 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 from <a href="https://twitter.com/paulpogba?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@paulpogba</a> for our Bleus before the grand final 💪💙<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FiersdetreBleus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FiersdetreBleus</a> <a href="https://t.co/XsYcCJpu7j">pic.twitter.com/XsYcCJpu7j</a></p>
— French Team ⭐⭐ (@FrenchTeam) <a href="https://twitter.com/FrenchTeam/status/1604228367150112769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>Juventus midfielder Pogba missed the FIFA World Cup 2022 due to a knee injury he suffered during the pre-season. Upon undergoing&nbsp;surgery in September to get his&nbsp;damaged meniscus repaired, Pogba has been out of action since. Besides him, France also have&nbsp;a few other big players getting ruled out due to injuries like N'Golo Kante and Karim Benzema.</p>

<p>Despite not having&nbsp;a handful of first team players in the squad, France's coach Didier Deschamps inspired his team to another World Cup final, where they are eyeing a back-to-back title win. If they achieve this, they will become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win successive World Cups.</p>

<p>However, in their way stand an upbeat Argentinian team led by the great Lionel Messi - who are also aiming to win their first trophy since 1986, their&nbsp;third overall.</p>

<p>The final of the FIFA World Cup 2022 will start at 18:00 PM local time and 20:30 PM IST.&nbsp;</p>


A World Cup winner himself, Paul Pogba has sent best wishes to his teammates ahead of the final against Argentina in Lusail, Qatar on Sunday. Pogba, who alongside Kylian Mbappe, Giroud and even Griezmann won last edition's World Cup in Russia, sent out a an inspiring message for the Les Blues.

A World Cup winner himself, Paul Pogba has sent best wishes to his teammates ahead of the final against Argentina in Lusail, Qatar on Sunday. Pogba, who alongside Kylian Mbappe, Giroud and even Griezmann won last edition's World Cup in Russia, sent out a an inspiring message for the Les Blues. A video tweet posted by the official handle of France's football page (in english), Pogba is heard saying, 'the final is not played, it is won...' ALSO READ: Gareth Southgate to stay as England manager till Euro 2024, confirms English FA You can listen to the whole message in the tweet given below - A quick 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 from @paulpogba for our Bleus before the grand final 💪💙#FiersdetreBleus pic.twitter.com/XsYcCJpu7j — French Team ⭐⭐ (@FrenchTeam) December 17, 2022 × Juventus midfielder Pogba missed the FIFA World Cup 2022 due to a knee injury he suffered during the pre-season. Upon undergoing surgery in September to get his damaged meniscus repaired, Pogba has been out of action since. Besides him, France also have a few other big players getting ruled out due to injuries like N'Golo Kante and Karim Benzema. Despite not having a handful of first team players in the squad, France's coach Didier Deschamps inspired his team to another World Cup final, where they are eyeing a back-to-back title win. If they achieve this, they will become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win successive World Cups. However, in their way stand an upbeat Argentinian team led by the great Lionel Messi - who are also aiming to win their first trophy since 1986, their third overall. The final of the FIFA World Cup 2022 will start at 18:00 PM local time and 20:30 PM IST.

WATCH: 2018 World Cup winner Paul Pogba wishes fellow teammates good luck ahead of Argentina clash

<p>Croatia midfielder Luka Modric said he intends to play for the Balkan nation until the Nations League finals in June next year but has yet to decide about his participation at the Euro 2024 tournament.</p>

<p>Modric helped Croatia win the bronze medal at the World Cup in Qatar after they defeated Morocco 2-1 in the third-place playoff on Saturday, having finished as runners-up at the 2018 edition in Russia.</p>

<p>Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic said this week Modric is likely to feature for them at the Euros in Germany despite his age should the team qualify, but the 37-year-old said on Saturday that he would consider his options.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-doesnt-know-enough-about-football-emiliano-martinez-about-kylian-mbappe-ahead-of-the-final-544202">'He doesn't know enough about football': Emiliano Martinez about Kylian Mbappe ahead of the final</a></p>

<p>"About my future? I do not know if I will play until the Euros in Germany. I need to go step by step," Modric told beIN Sports. "I am enjoying the national team and I feel happy. I still think I can perform at a high level.</p>

<p>"Then after, there will be more time to think about the Euros. Now it is (to) go step by step and continue at least until Nations League and then we will see."</p>

<p>The playmaker said winning the bronze medal was very important for him and his team.</p>

<p>"With this medal, we confirm that Croatia is playing an important role in world football. And we are leaving Qatar as winners," he added.</p>

<p>Modric’s Croatia stunned everyone in this World Cup with their upbeat performance. After staying second in the group behind Morocco, Croatia defeated Japan in the last-16 and the beat five-time winners Brazil in the quarters in the penalty shootout.</p>

<p>In the all-important semi-final, Croatia lost to Argentina 0-3. They, however, after beating Morocco in the 3rd place play-off will walk out of Qatar with their heads high.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from Reuters)</em></p>


Croatia midfielder Luka Modric said he intends to play for the Balkan nation until the Nations League finals in June next year but has yet to decide about his participation at the Euro 2024 tournament.

Croatia midfielder Luka Modric said he intends to play for the Balkan nation until the Nations League finals in June next year but has yet to decide about his participation at the Euro 2024 tournament. Modric helped Croatia win the bronze medal at the World Cup in Qatar after they defeated Morocco 2-1 in the third-place playoff on Saturday, having finished as runners-up at the 2018 edition in Russia. Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic said this week Modric is likely to feature for them at the Euros in Germany despite his age should the team qualify, but the 37-year-old said on Saturday that he would consider his options. ALSO READ: 'He doesn't know enough about football': Emiliano Martinez about Kylian Mbappe ahead of the final "About my future? I do not know if I will play until the Euros in Germany. I need to go step by step," Modric told beIN Sports. "I am enjoying the national team and I feel happy. I still think I can perform at a high level. "Then after, there will be more time to think about the Euros. Now it is (to) go step by step and continue at least until Nations League and then we will see." The playmaker said winning the bronze medal was very important for him and his team. "With this medal, we confirm that Croatia is playing an important role in world football. And we are leaving Qatar as winners," he added. Modric’s Croatia stunned everyone in this World Cup with their upbeat performance. After staying second in the group behind Morocco, Croatia defeated Japan in the last-16 and the beat five-time winners Brazil in the quarters in the penalty shootout. In the all-important semi-final, Croatia lost to Argentina 0-3. They, however, after beating Morocco in the 3rd place play-off will walk out of Qatar with their heads high. (With inputs from Reuters)

Post Qatar World Cup success Croatia's Luka Modric reveals future plans

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<p>Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has criticised France superstar Kylian Mbappe over his previous statements about the quality of football in South America.</p>

<p>“He doesn’t know enough about football. He never played in South America. When you don’t have this experience, it may be better not to talk about it. But it doesn’t matter. We are a great team, recognised as such,” Martinez told the media on the eve of the final.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Argentine goalkeeper was referring to statements made by Mbappe a few months ago where he said European nations are better prepared for World Cup compared to their South American counterparts.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Argentina haven't played games of great quality to reach the World Cup. In South America football isn't as advanced as Europe. That's why if you look at the last World Cups it's always the Europeans that win," Mbappe had said at the time.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2022-final-is-lionel-messi-fit-to-play-against-france-get-the-latest-update-544175"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;FIFA World Cup 2022 Final: Is Lionel Messi fit to play against France? Get the latest update</strong></a></p>

<p>Mbappe was slammed even then for his statement with players like Lionel Messi, Lautaro&nbsp;Martinez and&nbsp;former Brazil coach Tite gently reminding the Frenchman to not make such unfair comparisons when conditions and oppositions were starkly different.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Many times we talked about that in Spain. When we returned from a qualifier, we told them: You don’t know how difficult it would be for you to qualify for the World Cup if you had to go there, at altitude, in the heat, in Venezuela," Messi said in an interview.</p>

<p>Similarly, Inter Milan striker Martinez called Mbappe's statement unfair and added,&nbsp;"We are happy with how it's working and what we're doing on the field. I saw what [Mbappe] said, but Argentina and Brazil have players of great quality and talent. Brazil, just like us, has most of its players in Europe. I thought it was an unfair comment."</p>

<p>Argentina and France will square up against each other in the final of the FIFA World Cup later in the evening at the Lusail Stadium. While Les Bleus will be attempting to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup trophy, Argentina will be seeking to break a 36-year-old trophy drought.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has criticised France superstar Kylian Mbappe over his previous statements about the quality of football in South America.

Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has criticised France superstar Kylian Mbappe over his previous statements about the quality of football in South America. “He doesn’t know enough about football. He never played in South America. When you don’t have this experience, it may be better not to talk about it. But it doesn’t matter. We are a great team, recognised as such,” Martinez told the media on the eve of the final. The Argentine goalkeeper was referring to statements made by Mbappe a few months ago where he said European nations are better prepared for World Cup compared to their South American counterparts. "Argentina haven't played games of great quality to reach the World Cup. In South America football isn't as advanced as Europe. That's why if you look at the last World Cups it's always the Europeans that win," Mbappe had said at the time. Read more: FIFA World Cup 2022 Final: Is Lionel Messi fit to play against France? Get the latest update Mbappe was slammed even then for his statement with players like Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez and former Brazil coach Tite gently reminding the Frenchman to not make such unfair comparisons when conditions and oppositions were starkly different. "Many times we talked about that in Spain. When we returned from a qualifier, we told them: You don’t know how difficult it would be for you to qualify for the World Cup if you had to go there, at altitude, in the heat, in Venezuela," Messi said in an interview. Similarly, Inter Milan striker Martinez called Mbappe's statement unfair and added, "We are happy with how it's working and what we're doing on the field. I saw what [Mbappe] said, but Argentina and Brazil have players of great quality and talent. Brazil, just like us, has most of its players in Europe. I thought it was an unfair comment." Argentina and France will square up against each other in the final of the FIFA World Cup later in the evening at the Lusail Stadium. While Les Bleus will be attempting to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup trophy, Argentina will be seeking to break a 36-year-old trophy drought. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'He doesn't know enough about football': Emiliano Martinez about Kylian Mbappe ahead of the final

<p>FIFA World Cup final is a global showstopper every four years. At the showpiece event's moments of reckoning such as the final match, cities worldwide wear flamboyant looks including the designated spots of big-screen celebrations. But in Qatar, the celebrations even outside the venues are not as flamboyant this time. The latest is the famous Kim Jong-un lookalike who expressed on social media that FIFA World Cup in Qatar has failed the vibe check from him as everyone around him is sober.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Howard, in earlier days of FIFA World Cup this month, shared videos of himself sarcastically “lobbying for North Korea 2030”. Howard’s North Korea filtered sarcasm has touched a chord with football fans.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/kim-jong-un-lookalike-set-to-make-impression-at-singapore-summit-143132">Kim Jong-Un lookalike set to make impression at Singapore summit</a></strong></p>

<p>In Qatar, regular football fans have no access to alcohol at matches. Only spectators in the stadiums' high-end luxury suites have easy access to booze.</p>

<p>“I have been to the World Cup in Brazil and Russia, it was a blast,” Howard X, the Kim Jong-un lookalike said on Twitter on the evening before Argentina Vs. France FIFA World Cup final.</p>

<p>“This one in Qatar has a sterile vibe to it as everyone around me is sober. The only place that you can get a beer is a 20 minute walk from subway. One has to show (their) foreigner pass and go through airport style security,” he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Howard, in earlier days of FIFA World Cup this month, shared videos of himself sarcastically “lobbying for North Korea 2030”. Howard’s North Korea-filtered sarcasm has touched a chord with football fans both on and off the social media.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/kim-jong-un-and-roderigo-duterte-look-alikes-take-hong-kong-by-storm-195117">Kim Jong-un and Roderigo Duterte look-alikes take Hong Kong by storm</a></strong></p>

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<p>Howard X, a music producer by profession, is an Australian citizen of Chinese descent. He is also an&nbsp;impersonator of Kim Jong-un, the North Korean dictator. Often, Howard has made it clear that he imitates the North Korean leader to satirise him, not to glorify him.</p>

<p>Among his numerous prank-filled appearances at global sports events, his visit to the North Korean cheerleaders on Valentine's Day at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in 2018 garnered global media attention.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


FIFA World Cup final is a global showstopper every four years. At the showpiece event's moments of reckoning such as the final match, cities worldwide wear flamboyant looks including the designated spots of big-screen celebrations.

FIFA World Cup final is a global showstopper every four years. At the showpiece event's moments of reckoning such as the final match, cities worldwide wear flamboyant looks including the designated spots of big-screen celebrations. But in Qatar, the celebrations even outside the venues are not as flamboyant this time. The latest is the famous Kim Jong-un lookalike who expressed on social media that FIFA World Cup in Qatar has failed the vibe check from him as everyone around him is sober. Howard, in earlier days of FIFA World Cup this month, shared videos of himself sarcastically “lobbying for North Korea 2030”. Howard’s North Korea filtered sarcasm has touched a chord with football fans. ALSO READ - Kim Jong-Un lookalike set to make impression at Singapore summit In Qatar, regular football fans have no access to alcohol at matches. Only spectators in the stadiums' high-end luxury suites have easy access to booze. “I have been to the World Cup in Brazil and Russia, it was a blast,” Howard X, the Kim Jong-un lookalike said on Twitter on the evening before Argentina Vs. France FIFA World Cup final. “This one in Qatar has a sterile vibe to it as everyone around me is sober. The only place that you can get a beer is a 20 minute walk from subway. One has to show (their) foreigner pass and go through airport style security,” he said. Howard, in earlier days of FIFA World Cup this month, shared videos of himself sarcastically “lobbying for North Korea 2030”. Howard’s North Korea-filtered sarcasm has touched a chord with football fans both on and off the social media. WATCH - Kim Jong-un and Roderigo Duterte look-alikes take Hong Kong by storm × Howard X, a music producer by profession, is an Australian citizen of Chinese descent. He is also an impersonator of Kim Jong-un, the North Korean dictator. Often, Howard has made it clear that he imitates the North Korean leader to satirise him, not to glorify him. Among his numerous prank-filled appearances at global sports events, his visit to the North Korean cheerleaders on Valentine's Day at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in 2018 garnered global media attention. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Kim Jong-un lookalike says FIFA World Cup in Qatar failed his vibe check as all around are sober

<p>Argentina legend Lionel Messi was feared to have picked up a hamstring injury during the semi-final clash against Croatia on Tuesday night. The forward also didn't train with the team for two days ahead of the final against France.</p>

<p>However, the latest reports emerging from Lusail is that Lionel Messi is declared fit as he even trained with the Argentinian squad on Saturday. The comes as a big relief for a lot of his fans as Messi will surely remain available for selection for the big game against&nbsp;France.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2022-final-live-streaming-apps-watch-argentina-vs-france-live-online-on-mobile-tv-laptop-544166">FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps: Watch Argentina vs France live online on mobile, TV &amp; laptop</a></p>

<p>Possibly the most-decorated footballer of his time, Lionel Messi has won everything that there is to win except the coveted FIFA World Cup trophy. After having lost the 2014 World Cup final to Germany, Messi will look to go one step further&nbsp;this time in Qatar. As he had earlier announced the final on Sunday night will be his last in the international jersey, Messi's aim will remain to get the job done and leave on a high.</p>

<p>In this FIFA World Cup, Messi so far has five goals and three assists to his name, keeping him ahead of everyone in terms to contribution towards goals scored.</p>

<p>Even against Croatia in the first semi-final, Messi inspired his team to a superb win by first scoring a penalty and then providing an assist to striker Julian Alvarez in the second half.</p>

<p>Come Sunday night, Lionel Messi will like to produce a similar or rather a better performance to help his team win the FIFA World Cup for the third time.&nbsp;</p>


Argentina legend Lionel Messi was feared to have picked up a hamstring injury during the semi-final clash against Croatia on Tuesday night. The forward also didn't train with the team for two days ahead of the final against France.

Argentina legend Lionel Messi was feared to have picked up a hamstring injury during the semi-final clash against Croatia on Tuesday night. The forward also didn't train with the team for two days ahead of the final against France. However, the latest reports emerging from Lusail is that Lionel Messi is declared fit as he even trained with the Argentinian squad on Saturday. The comes as a big relief for a lot of his fans as Messi will surely remain available for selection for the big game against France. ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps: Watch Argentina vs France live online on mobile, TV & laptop Possibly the most-decorated footballer of his time, Lionel Messi has won everything that there is to win except the coveted FIFA World Cup trophy. After having lost the 2014 World Cup final to Germany, Messi will look to go one step further this time in Qatar. As he had earlier announced the final on Sunday night will be his last in the international jersey, Messi's aim will remain to get the job done and leave on a high. In this FIFA World Cup, Messi so far has five goals and three assists to his name, keeping him ahead of everyone in terms to contribution towards goals scored. Even against Croatia in the first semi-final, Messi inspired his team to a superb win by first scoring a penalty and then providing an assist to striker Julian Alvarez in the second half. Come Sunday night, Lionel Messi will like to produce a similar or rather a better performance to help his team win the FIFA World Cup for the third time.

FIFA World Cup 2022 Final: Is Lionel Messi fit to play against France ? Get the latest update

<p>Croatia beat Morocco 2-1 in the third-place playoffs of the World Cup at the Khalifa Stadium on Saturday evening&nbsp;to end the African side's dream run in Qatar. Goals from&nbsp;Josko Gvardiol and&nbsp;Mislav Oršić were enough for the 2018 finalists to get the better of a spirited Moroccan side.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Both teams came into the contest after suffering the disappointment of not making it to the final of the quadrennial event. Though many would have anticipated&nbsp;the third-place match to&nbsp;be devoid of any intensity, it certainly wasn't the case.</p>

<p>The passion and desire to win a football match was as high as the motivation that playing in a World Cup final brings - making up for an intriguing watch for the neutrals.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>A blistering start to the match</strong></p>

<p>The two teams were off the blocks in a lightning-quick manner with Croatia drawing the first blood. A fee-kick curled from 40-50 yards out was cushioned into the back of the net, past a diving Bounou&nbsp;by Gvardiol, one of the stars of the tournaments, with much ease in the seventh minute.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, before Croatian fans even had the time to rejoice their team's goal, Morocco, through a free kick two minutes later, managed to restore the parity.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Walid&nbsp;Regragui and his men, known for their defensive solidity were often scruffy in their clearances. Croatia had numerous chances within the first half an hour to double the lead.</p>

<p>The half-hearted clearances from Morocco came back to haunt them when Mislav Oršić, given a starting place in the playing XI tied the laces behind a beautiful curling shot in the 42nd minute that flew past Bounou&nbsp;, who had no chance to stop that.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Mislav Orsic with 𝐚 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐫𝐭 🖌️🎨<br />
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Is this the goal that helps <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Croatia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Croatia</a> earn the 🥉 in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Qatar2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Qatar2022</a>?<br />
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Find out in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CROMAR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CROMAR</a>, LIVE on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JioCinema?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JioCinema</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sports18?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Sports18</a> 📺📲<br />
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<p>The goal came against the run of play as Morocco had amassed a flurry of chances in the 15 minutes prior to it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After the break,&nbsp;Regragui made one substitution by replacing&nbsp;Abdelhamid Sabiri with Ilias Chair. However, it was the 2018 finalists that picked up the tempo first with goalscorer&nbsp;Orisic letting one fly that grazed the side netting.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Perhaps Morocco's biggest chance of the match came in the 75th minute when&nbsp;Youssef En-Nesyri,&nbsp;loitering all alone at the far post was found by his teammate.&nbsp;</p>

<p>En-Nesyri, the hero of the quarterfinal against Portugal pulled the trigger but for the umpteenth time for Croatia, keeper Livakovic came to the rescue.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Afterwards, the Moroccan players had a tough time keeping their heads about it as tempers flared, trying to chase the equalising goal.&nbsp;Morocco tried hard but with no finesse in the final third, they had to pay dearly, once again.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Playing XI changes</strong></p>

<p>Croatia started the game with coach Zlatko Dalic&nbsp;making&nbsp;five changes to the starting XI from their defeat against Argentina. The most notable omission was of Marcelo Brozovic who had to leave the field during the last game, soon after halftime.</p>

<p>As for Morocco, their captain Romain Saiss could not break into the XI after failing to recover from an injury.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Morocco may not have reached the finals or won third place but their fairytale run at the World Cup will be remembered for ages. They have&nbsp;given hope, not only to Asia, Africa or the Arab world hope but to all those nations that dream of making it to the World Cup one day.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It's a bitter defeat but I think it's deserved.&nbsp;We have a team that never gave in. We'll remember a lot of matches, we're going to come back stronger. We've united our country for a month, everybody was happy," said&nbsp;Regragui ina post-match interview.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As for Croatia, it was the first time since 1998 that they finished third at the FIFA World Cup, having&nbsp;beaten Netherlands 2-1 at Parc des Princes that time.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Croatia beat Morocco 2-1 in the third-place playoffs of the World Cup at the Khalifa Stadium on Saturday evening to end the African side's dream run in Qatar. Goals from Josko Gvardiol and Mislav Oršić were enough for the 2018 finalists to get the better of a spirited Moroccan side.

Croatia beat Morocco 2-1 in the third-place playoffs of the World Cup at the Khalifa Stadium on Saturday evening to end the African side's dream run in Qatar. Goals from Josko Gvardiol and Mislav Oršić were enough for the 2018 finalists to get the better of a spirited Moroccan side. Both teams came into the contest after suffering the disappointment of not making it to the final of the quadrennial event. Though many would have anticipated the third-place match to be devoid of any intensity, it certainly wasn't the case. The passion and desire to win a football match was as high as the motivation that playing in a World Cup final brings - making up for an intriguing watch for the neutrals. A blistering start to the match The two teams were off the blocks in a lightning-quick manner with Croatia drawing the first blood. A fee-kick curled from 40-50 yards out was cushioned into the back of the net, past a diving Bounou by Gvardiol, one of the stars of the tournaments, with much ease in the seventh minute. However, before Croatian fans even had the time to rejoice their team's goal, Morocco, through a free kick two minutes later, managed to restore the parity. Walid Regragui and his men, known for their defensive solidity were often scruffy in their clearances. Croatia had numerous chances within the first half an hour to double the lead. The half-hearted clearances from Morocco came back to haunt them when Mislav Oršić, given a starting place in the playing XI tied the laces behind a beautiful curling shot in the 42nd minute that flew past Bounou , who had no chance to stop that. Mislav Orsic with 𝐚 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐫𝐭 🖌️🎨 Is this the goal that helps #Croatia earn the 🥉 in #Qatar2022? Find out in #CROMAR, LIVE on #JioCinema & #Sports18 📺📲 Presented by @Mahindra_Auto#FIFAWorldCup #WorldsGreatestShow #FIFAWConJioCinema #FIFAWConSports18 pic.twitter.com/jkkHXUYz7H — JioCinema (@JioCinema) December 17, 2022 × The goal came against the run of play as Morocco had amassed a flurry of chances in the 15 minutes prior to it. After the break, Regragui made one substitution by replacing Abdelhamid Sabiri with Ilias Chair. However, it was the 2018 finalists that picked up the tempo first with goalscorer Orisic letting one fly that grazed the side netting. Perhaps Morocco's biggest chance of the match came in the 75th minute when Youssef En-Nesyri, loitering all alone at the far post was found by his teammate. En-Nesyri, the hero of the quarterfinal against Portugal pulled the trigger but for the umpteenth time for Croatia, keeper Livakovic came to the rescue. Afterwards, the Moroccan players had a tough time keeping their heads about it as tempers flared, trying to chase the equalising goal. Morocco tried hard but with no finesse in the final third, they had to pay dearly, once again. Playing XI changes Croatia started the game with coach Zlatko Dalic making five changes to the starting XI from their defeat against Argentina. The most notable omission was of Marcelo Brozovic who had to leave the field during the last game, soon after halftime. As for Morocco, their captain Romain Saiss could not break into the XI after failing to recover from an injury. Morocco may not have reached the finals or won third place but their fairytale run at the World Cup will be remembered for ages. They have given hope, not only to Asia, Africa or the Arab world hope but to all those nations that dream of making it to the World Cup one day. "It's a bitter defeat but I think it's deserved. We have a team that never gave in. We'll remember a lot of matches, we're going to come back stronger. We've united our country for a month, everybody was happy," said Regragui ina post-match interview. As for Croatia, it was the first time since 1998 that they finished third at the FIFA World Cup, having beaten Netherlands 2-1 at Parc des Princes that time. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

FIFA World Cup 2022: Croatia defeat a spirited Morocco 2-1 to win the third-place playoff

<p>The defending champions France will wear the all-blue kit during the final against Argentina at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday. Les Bleus wore the same strip&nbsp;during their epic 2018 World Cup final in Russia as well where they defeated Croatia 4-2.</p>

<p>To avoid any confusions with Argentina's white shorts, France will drop their tricolour kit that included blue blue jersey, white shorts and red socks during the high-octane final. While France have worn the tricolour kit on all almost occasions in this World Cup, they donned the all-blue kit against Tunisia in the group stage, where they lost 0-1.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/2025-club-world-cup-to-feature-32-teams-says-fifa-boss-gianni-infantino-543865">2025 Club World Cup to feature 32 teams, says FIFA boss Gianni Infantino</a></p>

<p>France defeated Morocco 2-0&nbsp;in the semis to advance to their second straight&nbsp;World Cup finals in Qatar. With the form they are in despite missing a few of their top first-team players to injuries, France is on a cusp of winning successive&nbsp;World Cups for the first time since 1962. However, Lionel Messi's Argentina stand in their way, who are also eyeing their third World Cup title, first since 1986.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Argentina&nbsp;defeated last-time finalist Croatia 3-0 in a one-sided encounter in the first semi final. While Lionel Messi scored the opener through a penalty, it was Argentina's young striker Julian Alvarez who scored a brace in the all-important clash. With Messi now announcing that the final on&nbsp;Sunday will be his last game in Argentina jersey, he would be hoping for a fairytale ending to his glorious international career.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2022-final-lionel-messis-international-career-by-the-numbers-543808">FIFA World Cup 2022 Final: Lionel Messi’s international career by the numbers</a>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, illness seem to hit the French camp ahead of their summit clash as a few of their star&nbsp;players are down with flue. The names include star defenders Raphael Varane, Dayot Upamecano, Ibrahima Konate and midfielder Adrien Rabiot. Coach&nbsp;<a data-ti="overview" data-ved="2ahUKEwiZ7qnS3__7AhWsTmwGHQgtBX0QnZMFegQIXBAC" jsaction="rcuQ6b:npT2md;KjsqPd" jscontroller="PCqCoe" role="link" tabindex="0">Didier Deschamps, however, doesn't look too much worried as he is hopeful the players will be fit for selection on Sunday against Argentina.</a></p>


The defending champions France will wear the all-blue kit during the final against Argentina at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday. Les Bleus wore the same strip during their epic 2018 World Cup final in Russia as well where they defeated Croatia 4-2.

The defending champions France will wear the all-blue kit during the final against Argentina at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday. Les Bleus wore the same strip during their epic 2018 World Cup final in Russia as well where they defeated Croatia 4-2. To avoid any confusions with Argentina's white shorts, France will drop their tricolour kit that included blue blue jersey, white shorts and red socks during the high-octane final. While France have worn the tricolour kit on all almost occasions in this World Cup, they donned the all-blue kit against Tunisia in the group stage, where they lost 0-1. ALSO READ: 2025 Club World Cup to feature 32 teams, says FIFA boss Gianni Infantino France defeated Morocco 2-0 in the semis to advance to their second straight World Cup finals in Qatar. With the form they are in despite missing a few of their top first-team players to injuries, France is on a cusp of winning successive World Cups for the first time since 1962. However, Lionel Messi's Argentina stand in their way, who are also eyeing their third World Cup title, first since 1986. Argentina defeated last-time finalist Croatia 3-0 in a one-sided encounter in the first semi final. While Lionel Messi scored the opener through a penalty, it was Argentina's young striker Julian Alvarez who scored a brace in the all-important clash. With Messi now announcing that the final on Sunday will be his last game in Argentina jersey, he would be hoping for a fairytale ending to his glorious international career. ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup 2022 Final: Lionel Messi’s international career by the numbers Meanwhile, illness seem to hit the French camp ahead of their summit clash as a few of their star players are down with flue. The names include star defenders Raphael Varane, Dayot Upamecano, Ibrahima Konate and midfielder Adrien Rabiot. Coach Didier Deschamps, however, doesn't look too much worried as he is hopeful the players will be fit for selection on Sunday against Argentina.

FIFA World Cup 2022: France to don all-blue kit for Argentina clash, the same strip they wore in 2018 final

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<p>After a tumultuous 48 hours where the French camp was battered by illness and injuries, a ray of hope has come for Les Bleus. The entire squad trained on the eve of the World Cup final, suggesting that France will be able to field their first XI against Argentina in the final of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to an AFP report, all 24 members of the French squad were available at the start of the training session on Saturday evening.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The news would have given coach Didier Deschamps a booster shot of confidence as well. At a pre-match presser, prior to the training session, Deschamps looked rather pessimistic and said he did not have information about the players.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We make sure to manage the situation as well as possible. The players were sleeping when I left, I don't have the latest information. We are doing our best to manage calmly. There will be information today. I will have some tonight and until tomorrow to make sure we are ready for this big game."</p>

<p>Prior to the Wednesday semi-final clash against Morocco, France were dealt the first blow when Adrien Rabiot and Dayot Upamecano suffered illness.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Coach Didier Deschamps was forced to make the change as Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate and Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana were picked as the replacement.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/france-beat-morocco-2-0-to-set-up-world-cup-final-against-argentina-543124"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;FIFA World Cup 2022: France overpower a spirited Morocco 2-0 to set up the summit clash with Argentina</strong></a></p>

<p>Konate had a monstrous game as he managed to block several of Morocco's enterprising challenges. However, after the match, reports emerged that the centre-back pairing of Konate and Raphael Varane had fallen ill.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The problems were compounded when new reports suggested&nbsp;that Theo Hernandez and Aurelien Tchouameni suffered knee injuries and hip bruises, respectively.</p>

<p>Even before the beginning of the tournament, the French squad was hit by an injury crisis. Several big-ticket players such as N'Golo Kante, Paul Pogba, Christopher Nkunku and Karim Benzema.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/big-blow-to-france-as-karim-benzema-ruled-out-of-fifa-world-cup-due-to-injury-535704" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: Big blow to France as Karim Benzema ruled out of FIFA World Cup due to injury</strong></a></p>

<p>Both Nkunku and Benzema got injured days before the World Cup was scheduled to begin. During the first match, Lucas Hernandez suffered a freak ACL injury, further adding to the chaos.</p>

<p>With the crisis all but over, Les Bleus will seek to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup trophy. Meanwhile, Messi's men will look to emulate the glory of Maradona's 1986 team.</p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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After a tumultuous 48 hours where the French camp was battered by illness and injuries, a ray of hope has come for Les Bleus. The entire squad trained on the eve of the World Cup final, suggesting that France will be able to field their first XI against Argentina in the final of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

After a tumultuous 48 hours where the French camp was battered by illness and injuries, a ray of hope has come for Les Bleus. The entire squad trained on the eve of the World Cup final, suggesting that France will be able to field their first XI against Argentina in the final of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. According to an AFP report, all 24 members of the French squad were available at the start of the training session on Saturday evening. The news would have given coach Didier Deschamps a booster shot of confidence as well. At a pre-match presser, prior to the training session, Deschamps looked rather pessimistic and said he did not have information about the players. "We make sure to manage the situation as well as possible. The players were sleeping when I left, I don't have the latest information. We are doing our best to manage calmly. There will be information today. I will have some tonight and until tomorrow to make sure we are ready for this big game." Prior to the Wednesday semi-final clash against Morocco, France were dealt the first blow when Adrien Rabiot and Dayot Upamecano suffered illness. Coach Didier Deschamps was forced to make the change as Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate and Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana were picked as the replacement. Read more: FIFA World Cup 2022: France overpower a spirited Morocco 2-0 to set up the summit clash with Argentina Konate had a monstrous game as he managed to block several of Morocco's enterprising challenges. However, after the match, reports emerged that the centre-back pairing of Konate and Raphael Varane had fallen ill. The problems were compounded when new reports suggested that Theo Hernandez and Aurelien Tchouameni suffered knee injuries and hip bruises, respectively. Even before the beginning of the tournament, the French squad was hit by an injury crisis. Several big-ticket players such as N'Golo Kante, Paul Pogba, Christopher Nkunku and Karim Benzema. Read more: Big blow to France as Karim Benzema ruled out of FIFA World Cup due to injury Both Nkunku and Benzema got injured days before the World Cup was scheduled to begin. During the first match, Lucas Hernandez suffered a freak ACL injury, further adding to the chaos. With the crisis all but over, Les Bleus will seek to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup trophy. Meanwhile, Messi's men will look to emulate the glory of Maradona's 1986 team. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

FIFA World Cup 2022: France get a lucky break as entire squad trains after virus setback

<p>The 2025 Club World Cup will feature 32 teams, making the format similar to the ongoing soccer World Cup, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Friday. He said the tournament, which currently involves seven teams, would be held every four years and would boost revenues for the global sports body further.</p>

<p>Currently the top teams of every continental competition as well as the hosts' national champion battle it out for the Club World Cup title. He said FIFA expected revenues of $11 billion for the four-year period between 2022 and 2026 but that did not include the new club World Cup format in 2025.</p>

<p>"This 11 billion figure is without the club World Cup (in 2025). At the end of the four years we will make even more revenues," Infantino told a news conference.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fifa-declines-zelenskys-request-to-share-message-before-fifa-world-cup-2022-final-report-543819">FIFA declines Zelensky's request to share message before FIFA World Cup 2022 final: Report</a></p>

<p>The global union for professional football players (FIFPRO) reacted negatively to the decision.</p>

<p>"FIFPRO took note with surprise of today’s decisions by the FIFA Council concerning the international match calendars for men’s and women’s football that could have serious consequences for and aggravate pressure on the welfare and employment of players," it said in a statement.</p>

<p>"Despite an understanding FIFPRO reached with FIFA last week that a joint negotiation of the international match calendar would take place before the FIFA Congress in March 2023, these decisions were taken unilaterally without seriously consulting, let alone agreeing, with the players."</p>

<p>The World Leagues Forum (WLF), an organisation representing professional association football leagues, also reacted criticised the announcement, saying it could have damaging consequences for the football economy and player welfare.</p>

<p>"As the calendar is already overloaded, with longstanding domestic club competitions and ever-expanding international competitions, FIFA’s decision creates the risk of fixture congestion, further player injuries and a distortion of competitive balance," it said in a statement.</p>

<p>The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.</p>

<p>Infantino also said that the 2022 Club World Cup, traditionally held in December but delayed this year due to the ongoing World Cup in Qatar, will be hosted by Morocco between 1 to 11 February, 2023.</p>

<p>The decision was taken by the FIFA Council following its meeting on Friday.</p>


The 2025 Club World Cup will feature 32 teams, making the format similar to the ongoing soccer World Cup, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Friday. He said the tournament, which currently involves seven teams, would be held every four years and would boost revenues for the global sports body further.

The 2025 Club World Cup will feature 32 teams, making the format similar to the ongoing soccer World Cup, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Friday. He said the tournament, which currently involves seven teams, would be held every four years and would boost revenues for the global sports body further. Currently the top teams of every continental competition as well as the hosts' national champion battle it out for the Club World Cup title. He said FIFA expected revenues of $11 billion for the four-year period between 2022 and 2026 but that did not include the new club World Cup format in 2025. "This 11 billion figure is without the club World Cup (in 2025). At the end of the four years we will make even more revenues," Infantino told a news conference. ALSO READ: FIFA declines Zelensky's request to share message before FIFA World Cup 2022 final: Report The global union for professional football players (FIFPRO) reacted negatively to the decision. "FIFPRO took note with surprise of today’s decisions by the FIFA Council concerning the international match calendars for men’s and women’s football that could have serious consequences for and aggravate pressure on the welfare and employment of players," it said in a statement. "Despite an understanding FIFPRO reached with FIFA last week that a joint negotiation of the international match calendar would take place before the FIFA Congress in March 2023, these decisions were taken unilaterally without seriously consulting, let alone agreeing, with the players." The World Leagues Forum (WLF), an organisation representing professional association football leagues, also reacted criticised the announcement, saying it could have damaging consequences for the football economy and player welfare. "As the calendar is already overloaded, with longstanding domestic club competitions and ever-expanding international competitions, FIFA’s decision creates the risk of fixture congestion, further player injuries and a distortion of competitive balance," it said in a statement. The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Infantino also said that the 2022 Club World Cup, traditionally held in December but delayed this year due to the ongoing World Cup in Qatar, will be hosted by Morocco between 1 to 11 February, 2023. The decision was taken by the FIFA Council following its meeting on Friday.

2025 Club World Cup to feature 32 teams, says FIFA boss Gianni Infantino

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<p>Former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes that Messi is like a lion-tamer in a circus when he has the ball at his feet.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I've seen him here in the middle of three players and he's like a guy with a lion in the circus. He tells the ball 'you listen to me, my friend, I'm the boss here'," Wenger was quoted as saying by AFP.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"And overall I would say that he has always had unbelievable quality for such a master of dribbling -- he knew always when to pass the ball and usually when players are very talented in dribbling they exaggerate a little bit."</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2022-arsene-wenger-takes-a-dig-at-teams-more-focused-on-political-demonstrations-539997" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: FIFA World Cup 2022: Arsene Wenger takes a dig at teams more focused on political demonstrations</strong></a></p>

<p>Wenger was reflecting on how Messi had rediscovered his old touch in the World Cup. Calling him the boss of the orchestra, the 73-year-old added every Argentine attack starts with Messi playing the music.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The boss of the orchestra is Messi and the music starts when he has the ball. What is surprising for me in this tournament is that he has rediscovered that physical capacity to accelerate again at the right moment."</p>

<p>The Frenchman is currently working as FIFA's head of global football development. His statements come a day before the final where Messi and his men will face France, the defending champions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, Wenger issued caution by terming French forward Kylian Mbappe as a threat.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Mbappe has huge flexibility, huge power and he's very intelligent as well but in a different way.&nbsp;He uses his power and he knows how to use his physical potential but he is also very creative in the final third.</p>

<p>Messi will be attempting to win his first World Cup trophy and cement an unrivalled legacy. Meanwhile, Les Bleus will seek to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup trophy. If France wins the final, Mbappe, at the age of 23 will have two trophies to his name.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes that Messi is like a lion-tamer in a circus when he has the ball at his feet. "I've seen him here in the middle of three players and he's like a guy with a lion in the circus.

Former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes that Messi is like a lion-tamer in a circus when he has the ball at his feet. "I've seen him here in the middle of three players and he's like a guy with a lion in the circus. He tells the ball 'you listen to me, my friend, I'm the boss here'," Wenger was quoted as saying by AFP. "And overall I would say that he has always had unbelievable quality for such a master of dribbling -- he knew always when to pass the ball and usually when players are very talented in dribbling they exaggerate a little bit." Read more: FIFA World Cup 2022: Arsene Wenger takes a dig at teams more focused on political demonstrations Wenger was reflecting on how Messi had rediscovered his old touch in the World Cup. Calling him the boss of the orchestra, the 73-year-old added every Argentine attack starts with Messi playing the music. "The boss of the orchestra is Messi and the music starts when he has the ball. What is surprising for me in this tournament is that he has rediscovered that physical capacity to accelerate again at the right moment." The Frenchman is currently working as FIFA's head of global football development. His statements come a day before the final where Messi and his men will face France, the defending champions. However, Wenger issued caution by terming French forward Kylian Mbappe as a threat. "Mbappe has huge flexibility, huge power and he's very intelligent as well but in a different way. He uses his power and he knows how to use his physical potential but he is also very creative in the final third. Messi will be attempting to win his first World Cup trophy and cement an unrivalled legacy. Meanwhile, Les Bleus will seek to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup trophy. If France wins the final, Mbappe, at the age of 23 will have two trophies to his name. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

FIFA World Cup 2022: Arsene Wenger compares Lionel Messi to a lion-tamer. Here's why.

<p>The stage is set for the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday evening (December 18). Before the summit clash, Croatia and Morocco will be in action as the two recently-eliminated teams will square off for the third-place playoff today.&nbsp;The match will be held at the Khalifa International Stadium in Al Rayyan. Talking about the Luka Modric-led Croatian line-up, they bowed out of the mega event with a 3-0 loss at the hands of Lionel Messi-starrer Argentina in the first semi-final. So far, they defeated the likes of Canada, Brazil and Japan before their ouster in the last four round. Meanwhile, Morocco was one of the best sides in the competition until their dream got over with a 2-0 loss versus defending champion France in the second semi-final.&nbsp;Before their SF loss, they defeated teams such as Spain and Portugal and will like to end on a high with a third-place finish.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Both sides have already met in this World Cup, with the game ending in a 0-0 stalemate. It is to be noted that Croatia have played in the World Cup third-place playoff just once - in 1998. Back then, they emerged on top of the Netherlands to settle for the&nbsp;bronze medal. Morocco, on the other hand, have already scripted history by becoming the first-ever African and Arab team to enter the WC semi-finals. They will now aim to become the first nation in both regards to finish off with a bronze medal under their belt. Which side will sign off with an inspiring win?&nbsp;Before the encounter, <strong>here's all you need to know about the live-streaming details:</strong></p>

<p>Where to watch the Croatia vs Morocco Live Streaming, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third-place playoff match Live App &amp; Live online Channel in India ?</p>

<p>Football fans in India can enjoy the Croatia vs Morocco Live Streaming, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third-place playoff match on TV on <strong>Sports18</strong> and <strong>Sports18 HD</strong> channels, while those who wish to stream online can watch it live on the <strong>Jio Cinema app</strong> or website.</p>

<p><strong>Croatia vs Morocco Live Streaming, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third-place playoff match details:</strong></p>

<p><strong>Date</strong> – Saturday, December 18, 2022<br />
<strong>Time</strong> – 08:30PM IST<br />
<strong>Venue</strong> – &nbsp;Lusail stadium Qatar<br />
<strong>Live Telecast</strong>– Sports18<br />
<strong>LIVE Streaming</strong> – Jio Cinema app</p>

<h2>Where will the Croatia vs Morocco Live Streaming, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third-place playoff match be held?</h2>

<p>Croatia vs Morocco Live Streaming, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third-place playoff match, will take place in Qatar on December 17 (today).</p>

<h2>When will the Croatia vs Morocco Live Streaming, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third-place playoff match? – Date</h2>

<p>Croatia vs Morocco Live Streaming, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third-place playoff match will begin at Khalifa International Stadium, Qatar, Dec 17, &nbsp;8:30 PM IST</p>

<h2>What Time will the Croatia vs Morocco Live Streaming, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third-place playoff match begin?- Time</h2>

<p>Croatia vs Morocco Live Streaming, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third-place playoff match match will begin at 8:30 PM IST&nbsp;</p>

<h2>What is the venue of the Croatia vs Morocco Live Streaming, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third-place playoff match? – Venu</h2>

<p>Croatia vs Morocco Live Streaming, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third-place playoff match will begin at Khalifa International Stadium.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>FIFA World Cup 2022 Final, Croatia vs Morocco full Squad:</strong></p>

<p><strong>Croatia full Squad:</strong><br />
<strong>Goalkeepers:</strong> Dominik Livakovic, Ivica Ivusic, Ivo Grbic</p>

<p><strong>Defenders:</strong> Domagoj Vida, Dejan Lovren, Borna Barisic, Josip Juranovic, Josko Gvardiol, Borna Sosa, Josip Stanisic, Martin Erlic, Josip Sutalo</p>

<p><strong>Midfielders: </strong>Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Marcelo Brozovic, Mario Pasalic, Nikola Vlasic, Lovro Majer, Kristijan Jakic, Luka Sucic</p>

<p><strong>Forwards:</strong> Ivan Perisic, Andrej Kramaric, Bruno Petkovic, Mislav Orsic, Ante Budimir, Marko Livaja</p>

<p><strong>Morocco full Squad:</strong><br />
<strong>Goalkeepers:</strong> Yassine Bono, Munir, Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti.</p>

<p><strong>Defenders:</strong> &nbsp;Achraf Hakimi, Romain Saiss, Noussair Mazraoui, Nayef Aguerd, Achraf Dari, Jawad El-Yamiq, Yahia Attiat-Allal, Badr Benoun.</p>

<p><strong>Midfielders:</strong> Sofyan Amrabat, Selim Amallah, Abdelhamid Sabiri, Azzedine Ounahi, Bilel El Khanouss, Yahya Jabrane.</p>

<p><strong>Forwards: </strong>Hakim Ziyech, Youssef El-Nesri, Sofiane Boufal, Ez Abde, Amine Harit, Zakaria Aboukhlal, Ilias Chair, Walid Cheddira, Abderazzak Hamdallah.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/croatia-vs-morocco-fifa-world-cup-2022-third-place-playoff-match-prediction-preview-head-to-head-lineup-543745"><strong>Croatia vs Morocco FIFA World Cup 2022 third-place playoff: Match prediction, preview, head to head &amp; lineup</strong></a></p>


The stage is set for the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday evening (December 18). Before the summit clash, Croatia and Morocco will be in action as the two recently-eliminated teams will square off for the third-place playoff today.

The stage is set for the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday evening (December 18). Before the summit clash, Croatia and Morocco will be in action as the two recently-eliminated teams will square off for the third-place playoff today. The match will be held at the Khalifa International Stadium in Al Rayyan. Talking about the Luka Modric-led Croatian line-up, they bowed out of the mega event with a 3-0 loss at the hands of Lionel Messi-starrer Argentina in the first semi-final. So far, they defeated the likes of Canada, Brazil and Japan before their ouster in the last four round. Meanwhile, Morocco was one of the best sides in the competition until their dream got over with a 2-0 loss versus defending champion France in the second semi-final. Before their SF loss, they defeated teams such as Spain and Portugal and will like to end on a high with a third-place finish. Both sides have already met in this World Cup, with the game ending in a 0-0 stalemate. It is to be noted that Croatia have played in the World Cup third-place playoff just once - in 1998. Back then, they emerged on top of the Netherlands to settle for the bronze medal. Morocco, on the other hand, have already scripted history by becoming the first-ever African and Arab team to enter the WC semi-finals. They will now aim to become the first nation in both regards to finish off with a bronze medal under their belt. Which side will sign off with an inspiring win? Before the encounter, here's all you need to know about the live-streaming details: Where to watch the Croatia vs Morocco Live Streaming, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third-place playoff match Live App & Live online Channel in India ? Football fans in India can enjoy the Croatia vs Morocco Live Streaming, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third-place playoff match on TV on Sports18 and Sports18 HD channels, while those who wish to stream online can watch it live on the Jio Cinema app or website. Croatia vs Morocco Live Streaming, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third-place playoff match details: Date – Saturday, December 18, 2022 Time – 08:30PM IST Venue – Lusail stadium Qatar Live Telecast– Sports18 LIVE Streaming – Jio Cinema app Where will the Croatia vs Morocco Live Streaming, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third-place playoff match be held? Croatia vs Morocco Live Streaming, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third-place playoff match, will take place in Qatar on December 17 (today). When will the Croatia vs Morocco Live Streaming, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third-place playoff match? – Date Croatia vs Morocco Live Streaming, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third-place playoff match will begin at Khalifa International Stadium, Qatar, Dec 17, 8:30 PM IST What Time will the Croatia vs Morocco Live Streaming, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third-place playoff match begin?- Time Croatia vs Morocco Live Streaming, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third-place playoff match match will begin at 8:30 PM IST What is the venue of the Croatia vs Morocco Live Streaming, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third-place playoff match? – Venu Croatia vs Morocco Live Streaming, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third-place playoff match will begin at Khalifa International Stadium. FIFA World Cup 2022 Final, Croatia vs Morocco full Squad: Croatia full Squad: Goalkeepers: Dominik Livakovic, Ivica Ivusic, Ivo Grbic Defenders: Domagoj Vida, Dejan Lovren, Borna Barisic, Josip Juranovic, Josko Gvardiol, Borna Sosa, Josip Stanisic, Martin Erlic, Josip Sutalo Midfielders: Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Marcelo Brozovic, Mario Pasalic, Nikola Vlasic, Lovro Majer, Kristijan Jakic, Luka Sucic Forwards: Ivan Perisic, Andrej Kramaric, Bruno Petkovic, Mislav Orsic, Ante Budimir, Marko Livaja Morocco full Squad: Goalkeepers: Yassine Bono, Munir, Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti. Defenders: Achraf Hakimi, Romain Saiss, Noussair Mazraoui, Nayef Aguerd, Achraf Dari, Jawad El-Yamiq, Yahia Attiat-Allal, Badr Benoun. Midfielders: Sofyan Amrabat, Selim Amallah, Abdelhamid Sabiri, Azzedine Ounahi, Bilel El Khanouss, Yahya Jabrane. Forwards: Hakim Ziyech, Youssef El-Nesri, Sofiane Boufal, Ez Abde, Amine Harit, Zakaria Aboukhlal, Ilias Chair, Walid Cheddira, Abderazzak Hamdallah. Also read: Croatia vs Morocco FIFA World Cup 2022 third-place playoff: Match prediction, preview, head to head & lineup

Croatia vs Morocco Live Streaming Today, How to watch the FIFA World Cup 2022 third-place playoff match Live?

<p>The stage is set for the biggest football game of the year and the mind games have already started. France goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris during a presser said the final is not only about Argentine superstar Lionel Messi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The event is too important to focus on one player. It's a final between two great nations.When you face this kind of player (Messi), you have to pay attention to him, but this game is not just about him," said Lloris.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper added that his team was still preparing for Sunday's summit clash by studying the opposition.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Tomorrow there will be a game plan to respect. We are still studying this team and preparing for this big game. There are always things we are not prepared for."</p>

<p>"To face that we need a perfect mindset, to be ready to go above and beyond. We know that we are capable of playing with possession and on the counter-attack. We have a lot of fast players offensively. The strength of our team is that we can adapt to any type of scenario."</p>

<p>France skipped their way past a resolute Moroccan side in the semifinals to set up the summit clash. Meanwhile, the La Albiceleste rode on Messi's brilliance to brush aside 2018 finalists Croatia.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2022-marvellous-messi-fires-argentina-to-wc-final-as-alvarez-grabs-two-542824"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;FIFA World Cup 2022: Marvellous Messi fires Argentina to WC final as Alvarez grabs two</strong></a></p>

<p>After the shocking defeat against Saudi Arabia, Argentina's World Cup hopes hanged by a thread. However, since then, Messi has single-handedly guided his team. one step away from the ultimate prize.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While Lloris may be playing down Messi's threat, coach Didier Deschamps will be well aware that giving the 35-year-old any space in the middle of the&nbsp;park could be suicidal. Often such high-stakes matches are decided by one moment of brilliance that a player of the class of Messi is more than capable of conjuring. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Les Bleus will seek to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup trophy. Meanwhile, Messi's men will look to emulate the glory of Maradona's 1986 team.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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The stage is set for the biggest football game of the year and the mind games have already started. France goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris during a presser said the final is not only about Argentine superstar Lionel Messi.

The stage is set for the biggest football game of the year and the mind games have already started. France goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris during a presser said the final is not only about Argentine superstar Lionel Messi. "The event is too important to focus on one player. It's a final between two great nations.When you face this kind of player (Messi), you have to pay attention to him, but this game is not just about him," said Lloris. The Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper added that his team was still preparing for Sunday's summit clash by studying the opposition. "Tomorrow there will be a game plan to respect. We are still studying this team and preparing for this big game. There are always things we are not prepared for." "To face that we need a perfect mindset, to be ready to go above and beyond. We know that we are capable of playing with possession and on the counter-attack. We have a lot of fast players offensively. The strength of our team is that we can adapt to any type of scenario." France skipped their way past a resolute Moroccan side in the semifinals to set up the summit clash. Meanwhile, the La Albiceleste rode on Messi's brilliance to brush aside 2018 finalists Croatia. Read more: FIFA World Cup 2022: Marvellous Messi fires Argentina to WC final as Alvarez grabs two After the shocking defeat against Saudi Arabia, Argentina's World Cup hopes hanged by a thread. However, since then, Messi has single-handedly guided his team. one step away from the ultimate prize. While Lloris may be playing down Messi's threat, coach Didier Deschamps will be well aware that giving the 35-year-old any space in the middle of the park could be suicidal. Often such high-stakes matches are decided by one moment of brilliance that a player of the class of Messi is more than capable of conjuring. Les Bleus will seek to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup trophy. Meanwhile, Messi's men will look to emulate the glory of Maradona's 1986 team. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

FIFA World Cup 2022: 'Game is not just about him': Hugo Lloris on Messi threat in the final

<p>There had been several rumours doing the rounds claiming French striker Karim Benzema could return to the squad for the FIFA World Cup 2022 final against Argentina on Sunday. France’s coach Didier Deschamps has, however, confirmed the news that the Real Madrid striker will not be playing the final, and that Didier will concentrate on the 24 players who are in Lusail for the mega clash.</p>

<p>Benzema was originally part of the French squad for the FIFA World Cup 2022, but just ahead of the side’s first league game, he injured his thigh in the training and got ruled out. The recently-awarded Ballon d’Or winner was sent home and no replacement was announced. Now, after reports emerged that Benzema is back in training for Real Madrid, speculations started growing about his potential comeback.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/who-is-referee-anthony-taylor-know-why-fifa-has-blocked-him-from-the-world-cup-final-because-of-argentina-543978">Who is referee Anthony Taylor? Know why FIFA has blocked him from the World Cup final because of Argentina</a></p>

<p>Speaking to the media on the eve of the World Cup final, Deschamps put all those talks under the mat. Talking about Benzema and a few other players who are also out due to injuries, he said,</p>

<p>'It is not up to me to decide who comes to watch the game, former players or injured players, I focus on my squad and the players at my disposal,” Deschamps said. “We have lost three Christopher Nkunku, Karim Benzema and Lucas Hernandez and I lost them even though they were in the squad to begin with. So now I am focusing on my 24-man squad and they are the ones I will have at my disposal tomorrow.”</p>

<p>Earlier also&nbsp;when he was asked about Benzema’s potential return, Deschamps first cut a frustrated figure and then replied, ‘I don't want to answer that.’</p>

<p>France, who will play their second straight final on Sunday, will aim to repeat Brazil’s 1962 feat of winning back-to-back World Cups. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi’s Argentina will stand in their way who are also eyeing their third World title.</p>


There had been several rumours doing the rounds claiming French striker Karim Benzema could return to the squad for the FIFA World Cup 2022 final against Argentina on Sunday.

There had been several rumours doing the rounds claiming French striker Karim Benzema could return to the squad for the FIFA World Cup 2022 final against Argentina on Sunday. France’s coach Didier Deschamps has, however, confirmed the news that the Real Madrid striker will not be playing the final, and that Didier will concentrate on the 24 players who are in Lusail for the mega clash. Benzema was originally part of the French squad for the FIFA World Cup 2022, but just ahead of the side’s first league game, he injured his thigh in the training and got ruled out. The recently-awarded Ballon d’Or winner was sent home and no replacement was announced. Now, after reports emerged that Benzema is back in training for Real Madrid, speculations started growing about his potential comeback. ALSO READ: Who is referee Anthony Taylor? Know why FIFA has blocked him from the World Cup final because of Argentina Speaking to the media on the eve of the World Cup final, Deschamps put all those talks under the mat. Talking about Benzema and a few other players who are also out due to injuries, he said, 'It is not up to me to decide who comes to watch the game, former players or injured players, I focus on my squad and the players at my disposal,” Deschamps said. “We have lost three Christopher Nkunku, Karim Benzema and Lucas Hernandez and I lost them even though they were in the squad to begin with. So now I am focusing on my 24-man squad and they are the ones I will have at my disposal tomorrow.” Earlier also when he was asked about Benzema’s potential return, Deschamps first cut a frustrated figure and then replied, ‘I don't want to answer that.’ France, who will play their second straight final on Sunday, will aim to repeat Brazil’s 1962 feat of winning back-to-back World Cups. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi’s Argentina will stand in their way who are also eyeing their third World title.

Amid rumours French coach Didier Deschamps confirms Karim Benzema will not feature against Argentina

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidzpnrMCtpDZPH" /><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p>Croatian centre-back Josko Gvardiol has said he was glad to have played against Argentina superstar Lionel Messi in the World Cup semifinal and that he will tell his kids about it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It was a nice experience even though I played against him in the club last season. He is a completely different type of player in the club and in the national team," said the defender.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I am glad that I played against him even though we lost. It's a great experience, and one day I'll tell my kids that I played against the best player in history. I guess we will beat him next time."</p>

<p>Gvardiol has been of the brightest stars of the FIFA World Cup 2022. The 20-year-old looked far more mature than his age and played like a man possessed throughout Croatia's run in the tournament. His performances&nbsp;have&nbsp;attracted attention of some of the biggest clubs in the world which will be looking to avail his services soon.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Despite having a stellar tournament, Gvardiol came second-best against Lionel Messi in the semi-final encounter, as have many prized defenders of the past. While many thought a youngster with a pedigree of Gvardiol will be able to keep Messi silent, the Argentine pulled one of the moments of the World Cup against him.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Messi torpedoed&nbsp;through the heart of Croatian midfield and engaged with Gvardiol outside the penalty box. The defender did not do a whole lot by staying on his feet and pushing Messi to the outside.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/fifa-world-cup-2022-two-time-world-champions-argentina-beat-croatia-3-0-to-enter-the-final-542852"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;FIFA World Cup 2022: Two-time world champions Argentina beat Croatia 3-0 to enter the final</strong></a></p>

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<p>However, the seven-times Ballon d'Or winner managed to beat Gvardiol inside the box and place a laser-sharp pass at the feet of Julian Alvarez who slotted the ball to the back of the net.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Classic Messi Move 🔥<br />
<br />
The little 🧙‍♂️ tip-toes past the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Croatia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Croatia</a> defence to set up an easy finish for Julian Alvarez 👏<br />
<br />
Watch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ARGCRO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ARGCRO</a> ➡ LIVE on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JioCinema?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JioCinema</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sports18?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Sports18</a> 📲📺<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Qatar2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Qatar2022</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWorldCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWorldCup</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWConJioCinema?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWConJioCinema</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWConSports18?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWConSports18</a> <a href="https://t.co/kMWpzRUQdB">pic.twitter.com/kMWpzRUQdB</a></p>
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) <a href="https://twitter.com/JioCinema/status/1602767241199509504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>Messi scored one and assisted one while playing a major part in another&nbsp;as Argentina steamrolled the Croatian challenge 3-0 to give their talisman a chance at achieving greatness for posterity.</p>

<p>Croatia dominated the game early one with their compact shape. It was only after Messi&nbsp;began dragging Gvardiol, arguably the best defender of the tournament from his left-centre-back position and into the midfield, that the game changed.</p>

<p>This allowed Argentina to knock the ball behind the Croatian defence with Julian Alvarez galloping forward, inviting goalkeeper Livakovic to foul him and earn a penalty.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2022-marvellous-messi-fires-argentina-to-wc-final-as-alvarez-grabs-two-542824" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: FIFA World Cup 2022: Marvellous Messi fires Argentina to WC final as Alvarez grabs two</strong></a></p>

<p>Before heading home, Gvardiol has one last challenge left as his team plays the third-place playoff against Morocco on Saturday. The 2018 runners-up will look to win the playoff and end the campaign on a high.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


Croatian centre-back Josko Gvardiol has said he was glad to have played against Argentina superstar Lionel Messi in the World Cup semifinal and that he will tell his kids about it.

Croatian centre-back Josko Gvardiol has said he was glad to have played against Argentina superstar Lionel Messi in the World Cup semifinal and that he will tell his kids about it. "It was a nice experience even though I played against him in the club last season. He is a completely different type of player in the club and in the national team," said the defender. "I am glad that I played against him even though we lost. It's a great experience, and one day I'll tell my kids that I played against the best player in history. I guess we will beat him next time." Gvardiol has been of the brightest stars of the FIFA World Cup 2022. The 20-year-old looked far more mature than his age and played like a man possessed throughout Croatia's run in the tournament. His performances have attracted attention of some of the biggest clubs in the world which will be looking to avail his services soon. Despite having a stellar tournament, Gvardiol came second-best against Lionel Messi in the semi-final encounter, as have many prized defenders of the past. While many thought a youngster with a pedigree of Gvardiol will be able to keep Messi silent, the Argentine pulled one of the moments of the World Cup against him. Messi torpedoed through the heart of Croatian midfield and engaged with Gvardiol outside the penalty box. The defender did not do a whole lot by staying on his feet and pushing Messi to the outside. WATCH | FIFA World Cup 2022: Two-time world champions Argentina beat Croatia 3-0 to enter the final × However, the seven-times Ballon d'Or winner managed to beat Gvardiol inside the box and place a laser-sharp pass at the feet of Julian Alvarez who slotted the ball to the back of the net. Classic Messi Move 🔥 The little 🧙‍♂️ tip-toes past the #Croatia defence to set up an easy finish for Julian Alvarez 👏 Watch #ARGCRO ➡ LIVE on #JioCinema & #Sports18 📲📺#Qatar2022 #FIFAWorldCup #FIFAWConJioCinema #FIFAWConSports18 pic.twitter.com/kMWpzRUQdB — JioCinema (@JioCinema) December 13, 2022 × Messi scored one and assisted one while playing a major part in another as Argentina steamrolled the Croatian challenge 3-0 to give their talisman a chance at achieving greatness for posterity. Croatia dominated the game early one with their compact shape. It was only after Messi began dragging Gvardiol, arguably the best defender of the tournament from his left-centre-back position and into the midfield, that the game changed. This allowed Argentina to knock the ball behind the Croatian defence with Julian Alvarez galloping forward, inviting goalkeeper Livakovic to foul him and earn a penalty. Read more: FIFA World Cup 2022: Marvellous Messi fires Argentina to WC final as Alvarez grabs two Before heading home, Gvardiol has one last challenge left as his team plays the third-place playoff against Morocco on Saturday. The 2018 runners-up will look to win the playoff and end the campaign on a high. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'I'll tell my kids...': Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol on facing Messi at the World Cup

<p>The fortunes of a local football academy named&nbsp;Mohammed VI Football Academy, which is based near Rabat in Morocco and&nbsp;was established in 2010 for nearly $13 million, have seen rise in the applications following the country’s recent success at the Qatar World Cup,&nbsp;academy’s Tarik El Khazri said.</p>

<p>While many of the Moroccan players who are featuring in this World Cup grew up abroad, four of the players from the squad mainly Youssef En-Nesyri, Azzedine Ounahi, Nayef Aguerd and Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti, trained as youngsters at this academy that brings in talent from across the country.</p>

<p>As per Khazri, the talent and skill have always been there in Morocco but it was the lack of proper training that was hurting the growth of players.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2022-france-to-don-all-blue-kit-for-argentina-clash-the-same-strip-they-wore-in-2018-final-543873">FIFA World Cup 2022: France to don all-blue kit for Argentina clash, the same strip they wore in 2018 final</a></p>

<p>"Skill has always existed in Morocco, but proper training of talents at a younger age was lacking," said Tarik El Khazri, who coached Youssef En-Nesyri, the scorer in the Portugal game for Morocco. "We have players from across Morocco and from different social groups ... talent is the main criteria."</p>

<p>Meanwhile, this academy stretches over 17 hectares of land and also consists of boarding house, restaurant, clinic, entertainment hall, swimming pool and classrooms, alongside nine pitches including a covered one as well. The new joiners here are welcomed&nbsp;with a combined curriculum that includes training on the pitch and classroom classes. For&nbsp;most of the students, they earn bachelor’s degree from the academy itself.</p>

<p>Regarding the success of this academy following Morocco’s incredible rise at the FIFA World Cup 2022, Khazri said, "After the successful participation of the Moroccan national team, we are flooded with applications."</p>

<p>"Players and staff are very proud to see former graduates contributing to the prowess of the national team," he added.</p>

<p>Morocco will face Croatia in the 3rd place play-off on Saturday, December 17th at the Khalifa International Stadium.</p>


The fortunes of a local football academy named Mohammed VI Football Academy, which is based near Rabat in Morocco and was established in 2010 for nearly $13 million, have seen rise in the applications following the country’s recent success at the Qatar World Cup, academy’s Tarik El Khazri said.

The fortunes of a local football academy named Mohammed VI Football Academy, which is based near Rabat in Morocco and was established in 2010 for nearly $13 million, have seen rise in the applications following the country’s recent success at the Qatar World Cup, academy’s Tarik El Khazri said. While many of the Moroccan players who are featuring in this World Cup grew up abroad, four of the players from the squad mainly Youssef En-Nesyri, Azzedine Ounahi, Nayef Aguerd and Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti, trained as youngsters at this academy that brings in talent from across the country. As per Khazri, the talent and skill have always been there in Morocco but it was the lack of proper training that was hurting the growth of players. ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup 2022: France to don all-blue kit for Argentina clash, the same strip they wore in 2018 final "Skill has always existed in Morocco, but proper training of talents at a younger age was lacking," said Tarik El Khazri, who coached Youssef En-Nesyri, the scorer in the Portugal game for Morocco. "We have players from across Morocco and from different social groups ... talent is the main criteria." Meanwhile, this academy stretches over 17 hectares of land and also consists of boarding house, restaurant, clinic, entertainment hall, swimming pool and classrooms, alongside nine pitches including a covered one as well. The new joiners here are welcomed with a combined curriculum that includes training on the pitch and classroom classes. For most of the students, they earn bachelor’s degree from the academy itself. Regarding the success of this academy following Morocco’s incredible rise at the FIFA World Cup 2022, Khazri said, "After the successful participation of the Moroccan national team, we are flooded with applications." "Players and staff are very proud to see former graduates contributing to the prowess of the national team," he added. Morocco will face Croatia in the 3rd place play-off on Saturday, December 17th at the Khalifa International Stadium.

Morocco’s success in Qatar boosts fortune of local academy where four World Cup squad players trained

<p>After a riveting group stage, followed by a thrilling Round of 16 and closely-fought quarters and semi-finals, the FIFA World Cup has moved onto the finale with Argentina set to take on France on Sunday evening (December 18). With some big names rubbing shoulders against one another, the last game of the FIFA WC is set to be an enthralling affair as the battle for the coveted title heats up in Qatar.</p>

<p>Ahead of the marquee encounter, at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, all eyes are on Lionel Messi. The Argentina captain, after his side's 3-0 win over Croatia, had confirmed that the Qatar final will be his last appearance in a World Cup clash. Hence, he will like to sign off on a high with a fairytale end to his WC career. Nonetheless, there is concerns among Argentina fans with Messi missing out on Thursday's (December 15) training session. Is Messi injured before the FIFA WC summit clash?</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-wc-final-argentina-vs-france-h2h-record-who-holds-the-advantage-ahead-of-battle-for-coveted-title-543579">FIFA WC final, Argentina vs France H2H record: Who holds the advantage ahead of battle for coveted title?</a></strong></p>

<p>It is reported that Argentina coach&nbsp;Lionel Scaloni had given all the starting XI from the semi-final clash the day off and, hence, Messi and many others weren't part of the recent training session. As per&nbsp;Foot Mercato, it is believed that he has been experiencing some discomfort in his hamstring -- which was evident in the semi-final as well -- but is in-line to feature in the World Cup final. Hence, there are no alarm bells ringing in the Argentina camp just yet with regard to Messi's fitness.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After taking the two-time winners Argentina in the final, Messi revealed his future plans and made a big claim. Speaking to Argentine media outlet Diario Deportivo Ole, the legendary striker said, "I feel very happy to be able to achieve this, to finish my World Cup journey by playing my last game in a final." Messi added, "It's many years for the next one and I don't think I'll be able to do it. And to finish like this, it's the best."</p>


After a riveting group stage, followed by a thrilling Round of 16 and closely-fought quarters and semi-finals, the FIFA World Cup has moved onto the finale with Argentina set to take on France on Sunday evening (December 18).

After a riveting group stage, followed by a thrilling Round of 16 and closely-fought quarters and semi-finals, the FIFA World Cup has moved onto the finale with Argentina set to take on France on Sunday evening (December 18). With some big names rubbing shoulders against one another, the last game of the FIFA WC is set to be an enthralling affair as the battle for the coveted title heats up in Qatar. Ahead of the marquee encounter, at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, all eyes are on Lionel Messi. The Argentina captain, after his side's 3-0 win over Croatia, had confirmed that the Qatar final will be his last appearance in a World Cup clash. Hence, he will like to sign off on a high with a fairytale end to his WC career. Nonetheless, there is concerns among Argentina fans with Messi missing out on Thursday's (December 15) training session. Is Messi injured before the FIFA WC summit clash? Also read: FIFA WC final, Argentina vs France H2H record: Who holds the advantage ahead of battle for coveted title? It is reported that Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni had given all the starting XI from the semi-final clash the day off and, hence, Messi and many others weren't part of the recent training session. As per Foot Mercato, it is believed that he has been experiencing some discomfort in his hamstring -- which was evident in the semi-final as well -- but is in-line to feature in the World Cup final. Hence, there are no alarm bells ringing in the Argentina camp just yet with regard to Messi's fitness. After taking the two-time winners Argentina in the final, Messi revealed his future plans and made a big claim. Speaking to Argentine media outlet Diario Deportivo Ole, the legendary striker said, "I feel very happy to be able to achieve this, to finish my World Cup journey by playing my last game in a final." Messi added, "It's many years for the next one and I don't think I'll be able to do it. And to finish like this, it's the best."

FIFA World Cup Final: Wait, what? Is Lionel Messi INJURED before Argentina vs France tie?

<p>The stage is set for the FIFA World Cup 2022 final on Sunday evening (December 18). France and Argentina will lock horns in what is expected to be an epic finale at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar. Argentina started their campaign with a loss to Saudi Arabia but have been on a five-match winning streak since then. Defending champions France, on the other hand, lost one match in the group stage -- to Tunisia -- but have been at their best to reach this far, beating the likes of England and a high-flying Morocco in the knockouts.</p>

<p>Ahead of the blockbuster finale between Argentina and France, <strong>here's which side holds the advantage in terms of head-to-head:</strong></p>

<p>Both France and Argentina have met on 12 occasions overall. In the dozen face-offs, Argentina lead the French line-up 6-3 whereas the remaining three outings resulted in a draw. In World Cups,&nbsp;Albicieste once again holds the advantage with a 2-1 lead. For France, they have a lot of catching to do but can take confidence from the fact that they defeated the Argentine line-up in the 2018 edition, in Russia, by a 4-3 margin courtesy of Kylian Mbappe's blitz.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-final-live-streaming-arg-vs-fra-match-live-broadcast-in-more-than-200-countries-543390"><strong>FIFA World Cup final Live Streaming: ARG vs FRA match live Broadcast in more than 200+ countries</strong></a></p>

<p>Both sides have lots to play for. While Argentina will hope to win their first World Cup title since 1986 and also settle scores versus France -- who eliminated them in the Round of 16 in 2018 edition -- the latter will hope to become the first-ever side to defend their WC title since 1962. So far, only Brazil (1958, 1962) and Italy (1934, 1938) have replicated this feat. Will France become the third nation to do so? Only time will tell...</p>


The stage is set for the FIFA World Cup 2022 final on Sunday evening (December 18). France and Argentina will lock horns in what is expected to be an epic finale at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar.

The stage is set for the FIFA World Cup 2022 final on Sunday evening (December 18). France and Argentina will lock horns in what is expected to be an epic finale at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar. Argentina started their campaign with a loss to Saudi Arabia but have been on a five-match winning streak since then. Defending champions France, on the other hand, lost one match in the group stage -- to Tunisia -- but have been at their best to reach this far, beating the likes of England and a high-flying Morocco in the knockouts. Ahead of the blockbuster finale between Argentina and France, here's which side holds the advantage in terms of head-to-head: Both France and Argentina have met on 12 occasions overall. In the dozen face-offs, Argentina lead the French line-up 6-3 whereas the remaining three outings resulted in a draw. In World Cups, Albicieste once again holds the advantage with a 2-1 lead. For France, they have a lot of catching to do but can take confidence from the fact that they defeated the Argentine line-up in the 2018 edition, in Russia, by a 4-3 margin courtesy of Kylian Mbappe's blitz. Also read: FIFA World Cup final Live Streaming: ARG vs FRA match live Broadcast in more than 200+ countries Both sides have lots to play for. While Argentina will hope to win their first World Cup title since 1986 and also settle scores versus France -- who eliminated them in the Round of 16 in 2018 edition -- the latter will hope to become the first-ever side to defend their WC title since 1962. So far, only Brazil (1958, 1962) and Italy (1934, 1938) have replicated this feat. Will France become the third nation to do so? Only time will tell...

FIFA WC final, Argentina vs France H2H record: Who holds the advantage ahead of battle for coveted title?

<p>The Argentine legend Lionel Messi will be playing his second FIFA World Cup final on Sunday against defending champions France at the Lusail Stadium.</p>

<p>Lionel Messi has been around for a long time now, having made his international debut for Argentina in 2005. Since then, the forward has achieved a lot accolades while donning Argentina’s jersey, whereas, he had suffered some of the toughest losses of his career on the way too.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2022-final-several-french-players-down-with-flu-ahead-of-mega-clash-vs-argentina-543800">FIFA World Cup 2022 Final: Several French players down with flu ahead of mega clash vs Argentina</a></p>

<p>During his long and decorated career, Messi became a global star and is widely regarded as one of the greatest ever, across generations, if not the best ever. As he bids adieu to international football on the night of the World Cup final, let’s have a look at some of his numbers that are sure to blow everyone’s mind.</p>

<p><strong>The following is a look at Lionel Messi's career by the numbers:</strong></p>

<ol>
	<li>Lionel Messi has around 499 million global followers on social media platforms - Facebook and Instagram, which is over 10 times the population of Argentina.</li>
	<li>According to Forbes, Messi has earned around $120 million for the 2022-23 season (before taxes and agents’ fees)</li>
	<li>According to Swiss research group CIES Football Observatory, Lionel Messi’s estimated transfer value is $26.60 million.</li>
	<li>At this year’s World Cup so far, the forward has played 2,194 minutes of football. Only Paolo Maldini of Italy has played more (2,217).</li>
	<li>In 171 international matches, Messi has 96 goals to his name.</li>
	<li>Aged 35, Lionel Messi has played 25 matches at the World Cups (joint record with Lothar Matthaeus).</li>
	<li>Messi has captained his team on 18 occasions in World Cups, which is a record, while he’s second on the list with most victorious in World Cups (16), only behind Miroslav Klose of Germany who has 17 wins to his name.</li>
	<li>The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has a record 11 World Cup goals to his name alongside six assists in knockouts,&nbsp;a record in itself.</li>
	<li>Lionel Messi is the sixth player after Matthaeus, Antonio Carbajal, Rafa Marquez, Andres Guardado and Cristiano Ronaldo to appear&nbsp;in five World Cups.</li>
	<li>Messi has scored and assisted in all five World Cups and will be playing his second World Cup final on Sunday against France at the Lusail Stadium.</li>
</ol>

<p><em>*All numbers are valid till the FIFA World Cup 2022 semi final match between Argentina and Croatia.</em></p>

<p><i>(With inputs from agencies)</i></p>


The Argentine legend Lionel Messi will be playing his second FIFA World Cup final on Sunday against defending champions France at the Lusail Stadium. Lionel Messi has been around for a long time now, having made his international debut for Argentina in 2005.

The Argentine legend Lionel Messi will be playing his second FIFA World Cup final on Sunday against defending champions France at the Lusail Stadium. Lionel Messi has been around for a long time now, having made his international debut for Argentina in 2005. Since then, the forward has achieved a lot accolades while donning Argentina’s jersey, whereas, he had suffered some of the toughest losses of his career on the way too. ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup 2022 Final: Several French players down with flu ahead of mega clash vs Argentina During his long and decorated career, Messi became a global star and is widely regarded as one of the greatest ever, across generations, if not the best ever. As he bids adieu to international football on the night of the World Cup final, let’s have a look at some of his numbers that are sure to blow everyone’s mind. The following is a look at Lionel Messi's career by the numbers: Lionel Messi has around 499 million global followers on social media platforms - Facebook and Instagram, which is over 10 times the population of Argentina. According to Forbes, Messi has earned around $120 million for the 2022-23 season (before taxes and agents’ fees) According to Swiss research group CIES Football Observatory, Lionel Messi’s estimated transfer value is $26.60 million. At this year’s World Cup so far, the forward has played 2,194 minutes of football. Only Paolo Maldini of Italy has played more (2,217). In 171 international matches, Messi has 96 goals to his name. Aged 35, Lionel Messi has played 25 matches at the World Cups (joint record with Lothar Matthaeus). Messi has captained his team on 18 occasions in World Cups, which is a record, while he’s second on the list with most victorious in World Cups (16), only behind Miroslav Klose of Germany who has 17 wins to his name. The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has a record 11 World Cup goals to his name alongside six assists in knockouts, a record in itself. Lionel Messi is the sixth player after Matthaeus, Antonio Carbajal, Rafa Marquez, Andres Guardado and Cristiano Ronaldo to appear in five World Cups. Messi has scored and assisted in all five World Cups and will be playing his second World Cup final on Sunday against France at the Lusail Stadium. *All numbers are valid till the FIFA World Cup 2022 semi final match between Argentina and Croatia. (With inputs from agencies)

FIFA World Cup 2022 Final: Lionel Messi’s international career by the numbers

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