The Final: Argentina vs France

[Irwin99]

Maradona 1986 - 5 goals, 5 assists
Messi 2022- 5 goals, 3 assists

Two goal involvements for Messi incoming as Argentina win the World Cup (sorry France, always liked you guys but this would be peak football legend)

 

[FriedClams]

Maradona 1986 - 5 goals, 5 assists
Messi 2022- 5 goals, 3 assists

Two goal involvements for Messi incoming as Argentina win the World Cup (sorry France, always liked you guys but this would be peak football legend)

We really need to stop making it all about goal and assist numbers. If someone offered you the chance to sign a player who by the end of his career had 88 goals and 163 assists in 851 games, youd probably look elsewhere, and you'd just have missed out on Iniesta.

 

[Tarrou]

Martínez and Varane could team up as a centre-back pairing for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie against Burnley next week. You could imagine the relationship could be strained by the result in Qatar on Sunday. Admittedly, one must hope the pair are offered a few days off by ETH rather than immediately returning to the freezing cold of north-west England, to make sure they are fresh and available to play Nottingham Forest on 27 December.

their relationship won't be strained whatsoever

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Maradona 1986 - 5 goals, 5 assists
Messi 2022- 5 goals, 3 assists

Two goal involvements for Messi incoming as Argentina win the World Cup (sorry France, always liked you guys but this would be peak football legend)

All of this reminds me of the 'similarities' between 2014 and 1986. Germany in the final etc etc

 

[RedDevil@84]

WIth Varane and Konate battling sickness and who knows who else will be sick by Sunday, Argentina is probably looking at a walkover

 

[Strootman's Finger]

WIth Varane and Konate battling sickness and who knows who else will be sick by Sunday, Argentina is probably looking at a walkover

Half the french team taken out by mystery virus and will miss the final where Messi has his last shot at a world cup. Well nothing to see here.

 

[Oly Francis]

Half the french team taken out by mystery virus and will miss the final where Messi has his last shot at a world cup. Well nothing to see here.

A LOT of people are reporting the same kind of sickness. Happened to the brazilian team, journalists, fans, i'm not buying this conspiracy thing.

 

[Canuckred64]

Martínez and Varane could team up as a centre-back pairing for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie against Burnley next week. You could imagine the relationship could be strained by the result in Qatar on Sunday. Admittedly, one must hope the pair are offered a few days off by ETH rather than immediately returning to the freezing cold of north-west England, to make sure they are fresh and available to play Nottingham Forest on 27 December.

They won't be playing Wednesday, they are going to need some rest after the World Cup.

 

[awop]

Frank Le Beouf didn't kick a ball in the 1998 tournament before the final when Blanc was (unfairly) suspended. Frank still has his winners medal and rightly so.

LeBoeuf was already a seasoned defender in his prime and we were still shitt*ng bricks that he was going to play instead of Blanc. Saliba would be asked to play against one of the greatest player ever in his last chance to win the world cup at 21 years old. Just a bit more pressure on what is already the biggest stage possible

 

[BerryBerryShrew]

WIth Varane and Konate battling sickness and who knows who else will be sick by Sunday, Argentina is probably looking at a walkover

Against any other team in world football that would be true but France will just plug in two more world class CB's and keep on trucking.

I suppose there's no point in having the best squad depth in world football if you don't have to dip into those reserves occasionally.

 

[Plant0x84]

Struggling to give a rats ass about this now. It’s the team who always win vs the one you’d rather didn’t but it seems inevitable.
It’s City vs Liverpool.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

WIth Varane and Konate battling sickness and who knows who else will be sick by Sunday, Argentina is probably looking at a walkover

France's backup defenders are better than Argentina's first choice ones (the one who doesn't start aside).

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Struggling to give a rats ass about this now. It’s the team who always win vs the one you’d rather didn’t but it seems inevitable.
It’s City vs Liverpool.

Except we don't hate these teams as they aren't our rivals?

 

[Plant0x84]

Except we don't hate these teams as they aren't our rivals?

You miss my point. I can cheer for either team, as a spectacle it is diminished for me.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

You miss my point. I can cheer for either team, as a spectacle it is diminished for me.

Aside from your team do you actually cheer for teams at the international stage? That's why I've started liking it - no strings attached footy (in some ways). With club football there's always major likes / dislikes.

 

[RedDevil@84]

France's backup defenders are better than Argentina's first choice ones (the one who doesn't start aside).

If they are the only ones sick by Sunday.

 

[Laurencio]

Maradona 1986 - 5 goals, 5 assists
Messi 2022- 5 goals, 3 assists

Two goal involvements for Messi incoming as Argentina win the World Cup (sorry France, always liked you guys but this would be peak football legend)

If Argentina is going to be able to win he will have to show up. If he does pull it off, then you have to say he is probably the best ever. Most naturally talented footballer we have ever seen and replicating Maradona's 1986 achievement. By the end of Sunday's game he could become a genuine legend. Exciting stuff.

 

[RacingClub]

What's this illness conspiracy all about?

 

[USREDEVIL]

i thought pogba was not selected due to injury
https://www.espn.com/soccer/france-...hit-by-virus-ahead-of-world-cup-final-sources

 

[RedDevil@84]

What's this illness conspiracy all about?

A strange bug is visiting only select teams. And it is Qatar and FIFA. So

 

[The Firestarter]

What's this illness conspiracy all about?

qavid-22

 

[Mb194dc]

My guess is France put out a full team on Sunday, rope a dope...

 

[RacingClub]

A strange bug is visiting only select teams. And it is Qatar and FIFA. So

I'd assume it's probably COVID, I don't know why it's all cloak and dagger stuff but it's weird there hasn't been a bunch of absences from COVID-19 during the tournament already considering all these people are meeting up from all over the world (many of those currently in cold/flu season) with no prevention measures in place.

 

[Hernandez - BFA]

My guess is France put out a full team on Sunday, rope a dope...

100% this. I swear there was a rumour of a viral-hit squad for one of the knock out games - and the whole first eleven played the very next game.

 

[Plant0x84]

Aside from your team do you actually cheer for teams at the international stage? That's why I've started liking it - no strings attached footy (in some ways). With club football there's always major likes / dislikes.

Personally I usually pick the underdog, or cheer for who ever suits England best. Self preservation.
But this time there is no underdog. France don’t need to win it again. And I just can’t bring myself to want Messi to win it either. I’m not a fan, I’m not super bothered by the vs CR7 argument either, and the jizzfest if he does win it will be insufferable, much like Liverpool winning the league or City winning their 97th Carabao cup. Honestly I feel the 3/4 playoff is a more interesting match.

 

[RacingClub]

My guess is France put out a full team on Sunday, rope a dope...

100% this. I swear there was a rumour of a viral-hit squad for one of the knock out games - and the whole first eleven played the very next game.

Agree with you guys.

qavid-22

 

[90 + 5min]

Argentina and Messi deserve it. Let us hope they get it to.

 

[SerendipityNow]

Maradona 1986 - 5 goals, 5 assists
Messi 2022- 5 goals, 3 assists

Two goal involvements for Messi incoming as Argentina win the World Cup (sorry France, always liked you guys but this would be peak football legend)

1 of those goals is the hand of God and Messi should have had 3 more assists if not for Lautaro so id say its pretty much even :-) Any statistics in chances created? I really dont see how Argentina can pull this off though, France has too much quality.

 

[RedDevil@84]

Argentina and Messi deserve it

No they deserve jackshit. But I maybe biased.

 

[Oly Francis]

100% this. I swear there was a rumour of a viral-hit squad for one of the knock out games - and the whole first eleven played the very next game.

Is this ironic? Did you guys miss the part when Rabiot and Upamecano didn't play against Morocoo because of this very virus?

 

[the_cliff]

If I were France I'd be more worried about Hernandez and Tchouameni than the CBs. Saliba/Konate is more than good enough.

 

[Suedesi]

France are efficient as feck, a bit like Real Madrid in UCL. They don’t look like threatening, look second best for a large part of the game, but still manage to win.

I want Argentina to win cause of Messi. The best player ever to win a World Cup would be nice to see.

I think the best player ever won it in '86.

I'm conflicted on the outcome on SUnday - wouldn't mind Messi winning it but I couldn't stand the media/noise if he would.

 

[Revan]

I think the best player ever won it in '86.

I'm conflicted on the outcome on SUnday - wouldn't mind Messi winning it but I couldn't stand the media/noise if he would.

As great as Maradona was, I just think that Messi is in a different level. Or two different levels. He is pretty much Maradona + a shitload of goals.

 

[Suedesi]

I don't know how I managed to forget about this final. Bad memories, I guess.

I watched it with French and German friends and was absolutely gutted when I saw Zidane's header saved by Buffon, then getting sent off after a moment of madness. Although to be fair, he was kicked all over the pitch during the whole 120 minutes.

I knew then that France wouldn't recover from it.

In fairness, Trezeguet's penalty was an inch over the perfect placement. Very small margins...

 

[Suedesi]

As great as Maradona was, I just think that Messi is in a different level. Or two different levels. He is pretty much Maradona + a shitload of goals.

If you think that, I seriously doubt you saw Diego in his prime. Messi is more efficient but Diego for me was different.

 

[Irwin99]

1 of those goals is the hand of God and Messi should have had 3 more assists if not for Lautaro so id say its pretty much even :-) Any statistics in chances created? I really dont see how Argentina can pull this off though, France has too much quality.

According to the video Maradona attempted or created more than half of Argentina's attempts at goal and had 3x more dribbles than any other player. He was directly involved in 10 of Argentina's 14 goals. Don't have anything more detailed than that but it's pretty impressive.

I do feel that this Argentina side has some really good players but Messi has absolutely been on another level.

 

[Hernandez - BFA]

Is this ironic? Did you guys miss the part when Rabiot and Upamecano didn't play against Morocoo because of this very virus?

Admittedly I only just read that - I assumed they were out on the night through knocks/injuries.

Still my point stands. They’ll have 97-100% of their starting eleven out on Sunday.

 

[Revan]

If you think that, I seriously doubt you saw Diego in his prime. Messi is more efficient but Diego for me was different.

Yeah, you were younger back then.

 

[That_Bloke]

Half the french team taken out by mystery virus and will miss the final where Messi has his last shot at a world cup. Well nothing to see here.

Here come the conspiracy theorists.

Jesus Christ.

 

[Suedesi]

1 of those goals is the hand of God and Messi should have had 3 more assists if not for Lautaro so id say its pretty much even :-) Any statistics in chances created? I really dont see how Argentina can pull this off though, France has too much quality.

Alternatively you can take away the 3 penals Messi have scored