Back-to-back: France look to defend their World Cup crown on Sunday
(Picture: AFP via Getty Images)Lionel Messi will face Europe’s most ruthless footballing power on Sunday, with France ready to deny him the perfect ending to his World Cup story.
Les Bleus killed England’s dream and have done the same to the Arab world by dumping out Morocco with a 2-0 semi-final win.
Morocco had turned Al Bayt Stadium, which literally means ‘the home’ in Arabic, into theirs but couldn’t will their team to make history as the first African nation to reach a final.
There were 60,000 Morocco supporters hissing and whistling at their former colonial power for over 90 minutes but, in the knowledge that they did it four years ago, France leaned on their experience to reach back-to-back finals.
Unsurprisingly, Antoine Griezmann would play a crucial role in unlocking an Atlas Lions defence that up to this point had conceded just once, an own goal, in the tournament.
His run into space sucked in Jawad El-Yamiq to make a poor defensive mistake, which led to chaos in the Morocco box, and Theo Hernandez produced an acrobatic finish at the far post.
Both Morocco and France would hit the post in a tight first half before 30 minutes of dominance from Walid Regragui’s side, brilliant defending from centre-back duo Raphael Varane and Ibrahima Konate needed to save les Blue.
France held out until Kylian Mbappe’s brilliance made something happen. His skill and dribbling on the edge of the box saw a deflected shot fall at the feet of substitute Randal Kolo Muani to kill the game off.
Holders France are now well equipped to become the first team to retain a World Cup in 60 years since Brazil achieved the feat in 1962.
Manager Didier Deschamps has won this competition as a player and coach already transmitting his know-how to the squad.
Nine of France’s players lifted this trophy in Russia back in 2017 - this is a team that has won 15 of their last 17 knockout ties and their last four World Cup semi-finals.
For them, there’s no grander narrative than simply trying to become the best international team in the world.
Of course, Kylian Mbappe is still just 23 and wants to build himself a body of work that will see him discussed alongside Messi, Diego Maradona and Pele as one of the all-time greats.
Those conversations about his legacy will happen in then years but Messi’s last dance is now. He has already announced that the final at Lusail Stadium will be his last World Cup game.
Without football’s biggezt prize to his name, it will feel like there’s a gap in his trophy cabinet after securing an incredible 11 league titles and four Champions League trophies over his 19-year career.
An experienced France team won’t care and, with Mbappe’s brilliance, they are the biggest possible threat to both Messi’s and Argentina’s fairytale ending.
