World Cup, and this promises to be a fantastic final in Lusail. Will the French retain the trophy, or can the Argentinians secure their first World Cup triumph since 1986?
France at Argentina Facts & Trends
- France is the reigning world champion.
- Both nations have won two World Cups.
- The French are competing in their fourth final in the last seven World Cups.
- Only Germany has featured in more World Cup finals than Argentina.
- The Argentinians have lost just one of their last 41 matches.
France at Argentina Matchup Information
Sunday’s showpiece final will be held at the picturesque Lusail Iconic Stadium in Al Daayen, Qatar. Argentina’s knockout wins over Netherlands and Croatia both came at this venue, while France has yet to play in Lusail. The kick-off is at 10:00 AM EST.
France at Argentina Odds
Argentina +180
France +180
Draw +200
France at Argentina Betting Previews
Betting on Argentina
Argentina arrived in Qatar on a stunning run of form. They were unbeaten in 36 matches across all competitions over the past few years, and only Brazil were fancied ahead of them to win the World Cup.
However, their time in Qatar got off to the worst possible start. Saudi Arabia, who had never previously won a World Cup match, picked up a shock 2-1 win over the Argentinians, which left Lionel Scaloni’s men just one defeat away from catching an early flight home.
Albiceleste got their act together and won their final two group matches to reach the knockout phase as Group C winners. After beating Mexico 2-0, they recorded a 2-0 win over Poland to progress.
Argentina sprung into life in the knockout stage, starting with a narrow but deserved 2-1 win over Australia in the last 16.
They were then involved in a thrilling 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in the quarter-final, with the Dutch scoring two late goals to force extra time and penalties. Argentina kept their nerve in the shootout to get the win and book their place in the last four in Qatar.
In the semi, Scaloni’s side proved to be far too strong for the 2018 runners-up Croatia. The exceptional Lionel Messi opened the scoring, and Manchester City star Julian Alvarez bagged a brace in the 3-0 win.
This will be Argentina’s sixth World Cup final, with just the Germans competing in more (eight). They have won two of the three World Cup meetings with France – can they get the better of the European giants once again?
Betting on France
France has booked their spot in yet another World Cup final. This will be their fourth final since winning the trophy for the first time in 1998. They are looking to become just the third team to win back-to-back World Cups after Italy and Brazil.
The world champions were one of the tournament favorites before a ball was kicked in Qatar, and Didier Deschamps’ men have lived up to the hype so far. They beat Australia and Denmark in their opening two games to become the first nation to reach the knockout phase of the 2022 World Cup.
Les Bleus have gone from strength to strength in Qatar, and they started their knockout campaign with a comfortable 3-1 win over Poland in Al Thumama Stadium in Doha.
France then went up against fierce rivals England in a mouth-watering quarter-final at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor. A thunderbolt strike from Aurelien Tchouameni gave the French the lead, but Harry Kane equalized from the spot. Olivier Giroud’s header regained France’s lead, and Kane squandered a late penalty to let the French off the hook.
France took on Morocco in the semi-finals and claimed a 2-0 win. The Moroccans became the first African team to reach the last four of the World Cup, but goals from Theo Hernandez and Randal Kolo Muani put Les Bleus through at their expense.
The French know how to win World Cups, and victory here would put them fourth on the all-time list, leapfrogging Argentina in the process. The current world champions will take some stopping in Lusail.
Injury Report
Argentina
Marcos Acuna and Gonzalo Montiel are both back after serving one-match suspensions. Angel Di Maria could get a start in the big final. Papu Gomez missed the semi-final win over Croatia and is Scaloni’s only injury concern.
France
Dayot Upamecano, Adrien Rabiot, and Kingsley Coman are all hoping to be fit for the final after an illness. Karim Benzema is unlikely to feature after an injury layoff.
Top Sportsbooks Odds
- BetOnline: Argentina +175
- Bovada: France World Cup winner -118
- MyBookie: France +177
- BetUS: 2 Goals +225
- BetNow: Argentina Win & BTTS +550
TOP #3 Sports Betting Sites to Bet on Soccer
France at Argentina Picks & Predictions
This final in Al Daayen really could go either way. We can make a strong case for both nations, but only one will get their hands on the trophy at Lusail Iconic Stadium.
It is sure to be a tight and tense affair, as both teams will be desperate not to give anything away early on. One goal could be enough to edge a low-scoring final.
The Pick
Both countries can be proud of their Qatar heroics, but we fancy France to sneak a win in Lusail. Deschamps’ boys know what it takes to get the job done on the big occasion. We like the look of the 2-1 French win at the top odds of +3000 (BetUs).
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