After all the drama that unfolded in the past four weeks in Qatar, it has all come down to the one final match. The one final fixture between the two best teams in the competition- Argentina and France- in a tournament that had 32 teams competing- will decide who gets to lift the ultimate trophy in international football- the FIFA World Cup.
Even though the final has been dubbed as a battle between the legendary Lionel Messi and 23-year-old Kylian Mbappe, as one has seen in the past, it rarely boils down to individual brilliance in a team sport like football.
Having said that, two-time champions Argentina would want to give a fitting tribute to one of the finest of this generation in Messi who hasn't had his hands on the World Cup yet, France would want to win and aid Mbappe to be the second youngest player to win two World Cup titles after Pele in 1958 and 1962. The Les Blues also have an opportunity to become the first team in 60 years to clinch back to back World titles after Brazil achieved the feat in 1962.
When and where will the FIFA World Cup 2022 final be played?
The FIFA World Cup 2022 final between Argentina and France will be played at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar on December 18. The Lusail Stadium boasts of being the biggest in Qatar and has a sitting capacity of close to 89,000 people. The first semifinal between Argentina and Croatia was also played here and saw capacity crowd with the attendance announced at 88,966.
At what time will the FIFA World Cup 2022 final commence?
The FIFA World Cup 2022 final will kick off at 08:30 pm (IST).
Players to watch out for in the FIFA World Cup 2022 final:
Olivier Giroud: What a tournament this has been for France's Olivier Giroud. The AC Milan striker has already broken the Les Blues' all-time goal scoring record in international football and would want to add to that tally in the final and help his team lift the trophy. With 4 goals in the competition so far, he is looking in great touch and has a chance to match or even beat Lionel Messi and teammate Kylian Mbappe in the race to the golden boot with those two currently sitting at the top with 5 goals each.
Antoine Griezmann: Another player that has impressed for France in this edition of the tournament has been Antoine Griezmann. He has simply been outstanding despite playing in a new role as he could be seen in the midfield, being effective both on the offence and defence. French fans would be hoping Griezmann continues to shine in the final.
Kylian Mbappe: Of course, Mbappe is the player to watch out for. Although he is still fairly young, he has already won the World Cup in 2018. Being touted as the next superstar of football, he still remains hungry for success. He has already scored 9 goals in 2 World Cups and is leading the goal charts in this competition with 5 goals already. His 9 goals in the 2018 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup combined is the highest for any player aged under 24.
Julian Alvarez: One can't simply underestimate Julian Alvarez especially after his performance in the semifinal match against Croatia. The 22-year-old Manchester City star scored a brace in that match to take his goals tally to 4 and Argentina would want him to take that goal-scoring form into the summit clash.
Enzo Fernandez: The 21-year-old has been superb in the midfield. Not only does he look to create opportunities to score for his team but he is equally proficient when blocking other's chances is the demand of the situation. Someone who has a bit of a street smartness to his game, Fernandez will be a key player for Argentina in the final.
Lionel Messi: Among the greatest players to have ever played the sport has already announced that this will be his final World Cup appearance. Some reports have also suggested that the final could even be his last game in Argentina colours. But the star Argentine has not let that affect his performance as he been in great form so far, despite a few slip ups in the competition. Apart from his goalscoring ability, he is an exemplary playmaker, creating chances and assisting his teammates from unbelievable angles or circumstances. With 5 goals and more assists currently than Mbappe in this competition, will it be the a fairy tale ending to a celebrated career? We shall find out.