Argentina and France have a chance to win the world championship on Sunday for the third time in a row. The South Americans are currently playing their seventh endgame, while the Europeans are playing their fourth. One time, both parties faced off in a K.-o.-Duell: The future world champion won the semifinal match 4 years ago with a score of 4:3 after 90 minutes. Kylian Mbappé won the game with a double-pack. Will he carry it out again? Will this time's title defender's final experience be their downfall, or will the first title win out in the end?
Approximately 90.000 spectators at Lusail Stadium will hear the response at 16:30. Argentinian team chef Lionel Scaloni places the emphasis on the match's conclusion as one of "collective energy, not individual effort," as he turns attention away from Messi and Mbappé's star-crossed rivalry. The French have been beaten by sick players. Varane, Konaté, Coman, Tchouaméni, and Théo Hernández have the same five stars, which raises some doubts; at the very least, Upamecano and Rabiot might decide to come back after missing the semifinals. Teamchef Didier Deschamps said, "We remain calm and focused."