Argentina versus France; Messi against Mbappe. A crowning and a dethroning, but in what sense?

December 16 – After 62 games, it's time for the final two: on Sunday, France and Kylian Mbappé and Argentina and Lionel Messi will face off to crown the world champions and win the 22nd edition of the World Cup, the premiere in the Middle East, coming to an end.

After a convincing group stage and spectacular knockout stage, which prompted FIFA boss Gianni Infantino to call this World Cup "the best ever", the defending champions and South American champions meet in football's greatest game to decide who will wear the world crown for the next four years.

Les Bleus may become the first team to retain the World Cup since Brazil in 1962, but it's a bit wrong to compare this French generation to Pelé and Garrincha, two players who were at the heart of the golden era from Brazil.

The French are however the ultimate pragmatists, the same philosophy propelled them to victory four years ago. This team of Didier Deschamps 2.0 is perhaps an even more sober version: the novelty of Mbappe has faded and the question remains if this France is really that good?

Talent is in abundance, but style and joy are scarce. They have results to back up their claim to greatness, but nothing else.

They will face Lionel Messi and all the emotion that the Argentine team will bring to the final, a last chance for one of the greatest players of all time to win the most important prize.

Messi-mania has taken control of Doha and Qatar. This Argentinian team wasn't supposed to talk about Messi and yet it's all about him. At the same time, the Albiceleste are a sui generis team under Lionel Scaloni. It's neither the Argentina of 2014 when Messi dragged his side to the final until emotion finally devoured the team in a heartbreaking loss to Germany, nor the team of 1990 that s rallied after the infamous opening game defeat to Cameroon.

The opening loss to Saudi Arabia forced Argentina to rethink and reevaluate. They had their backs to the wall after all.

Messi's latest appearance at the World Cup is Argentina's other big motivation. After Argentina's Copa America defeat in 2019, he became a leader for the team, going from the somewhat shy and non-committal North Star, always at a loss in the Argentine XI, to a forward and fighter. at the center of gravity of a top-flight team. .

It rekindled the joy of Messi, scoring a brilliant goal against Mexico in the group stage and playing at times with the velocity and panache of his youth. He enjoys his time, chanting, singing and dancing with the Argentinian fans and their twirling scarves after each victory. His feet are dancing in Qatar and even Josko Gvardiol, one of the tournament defenders, couldn't match Messi, let alone stop him.

The line-up for the final will also appeal to hosts Qatar.

After all the criticism directed at the host country, they get a successful tournament finish, a nice addition to Morocco's fairy tale run to the semi-finals, uniting the Arab world. Messi vs Mbappe is about different generations, one perhaps taking over from another, one king dethroning the other? But it's also about two renowned PSG players on the biggest stage. They must offer the ultimate spectacle to conclude this first "Arab" World Cup. The Qatar brand continues.

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