Messi
Qatar world cup finals between France and Argentina on Sunday is most discussed issue globally
The world football cup final fever terribly spreading; endemic and contagious that the best of the Medical Doctors worldwide and other professionals as well as lay men in the art of football have caught the mundial flu is currently trending globally.
The assumed battle between two countries defending Champions, France and Argentina have been narrowed to personality clash between seven times Ballon D’or winner and the Argentine Captain, Lionel Messi who creative minded Nigerians argue his names to be Chief Olubade Messi Olayiwola.
Messi messes Croatia silly, slide them off the final journey 3-0 at world cup semifinal
Pastor Tony Osuobeni from America sent this:
Ladies & Gentlemen introducing you to Chief Olubode Messi Olayiwola.
Sunday is the D-Day of his coronation, that is if the Nigerian-Cameroonian-French man Mbape allows him. We shall all be Qatarized no matter what happens on Sunday. We shall have a World Cup Service.
#Qatarworldcup2022 #WorldCupFinals2022
#FranceArgentina2022
Born 24th June 1987 as Lionel Andres Messi at Rosario, Santa Fe in Argentina with a height of 1.70m Messi had captained the U20 team to defeat Nigeria that had Mikel Obi and Taye Taiwo in Netherlands 2005 with a 2-0 margin and Messi supplied the damage then. Apart from the Ballon D’or cup carts, Messi won the European Golden Boot record six times; won 35 club trophies in Spain and Europe and scored over 750 career goals as at 14th June 2022 but the player whose records are said to beat that of Pele of Brazil has never won the world cup that Pele won twice.
His adversary who could abort his dream of lifting the world cup is 24 year old Kylian Mbappe Lotin born on 20th December 1998 with 1.78m height who plays at the Paris Saint-Germaine with Messi. He is the second youngest ever player to have won the world cup having won it in 2018 with France at 18. Pele won it at 17 in 1958.
Mbappe was the world cup best young player in 2018 and has qualities of being of immense dribbling abilities; exceptional speed with fantastic finishing having 65 appearances for France scoring 33 goals for France. He is currently the highest paid footballer in the world whose father, a Cameroonian is managing. His mother, Fayza Lamari a former notable Handball player is from Algeria. Mbappe is believed to be the player that will wreck Argentina on Sunday. Mbappe earns 90.91m Euros per annum; next to him as highest paid player is Messi with 41m USD; Neymar 40.8m GBP; Cristiano Ronaldo 26.8m GBP; Robert Lewandoski 23m EUR and the highest paid African, Mohammed Salah 18.2m GBP.
There is a scary report that Messi is having hamstring injury as he did not train with the team on Wednesday and Thursday but reportedly completing recovery sessions indoors. Marcus Acuna and Gonzalo Montiel who were serving suspensions are expected to be available for selections.
France was under the yoke of injuries before the Qatar world cup as current world cup holder, Karim Benzema did not travel with the team to Qatar, ditto for Paul Pogba; Ngolo Kante and Lucas Hernandez.
There were talks that Benzema may don France jersey on Sunday because he has resumed full training with his club, Real Madrid and can play but that depends on his coach, Didier Deschamps who another report says he only winked at the suggestion and may not approve the idea.
As at Friday afternoon while this report was being put together, two players have joined the team that has Flu. They are Raphael Varane and Ibrahim Konte. Those who were down with Flu and fatigue are Dayat Upamecano and Andrien Rabot.
Possible line up for Argentina: E. Martinez; Molina; Romero; Otamendi; Acuna; De Paul; Poredes; Fernandez; Mac Allister; Messi and Alvarez.
Possible line up for France: Lloris; Konade; Varrani; Konate; Theo Hernandez; Rabot; Tchouameni; Dembele; Griezmann; Mbappe and Giroud.
Polish Szyman Marcinak (41) will be the first polish Ref ever to handle a world cup final to be assisted on VAR by Venezuelan Juan Soko. The Polish Ref was not available for major competitions before because he was diagnosed with Tachycardia problem which is abnormal fast breathing conditions in 2020. He officiated France 2 Denmark 1 group stage match and Argentina 2 Australia 1 round of 16 matches.
To get to the final, Argentina the challenger here had lost their first match to Saudi Arabia 0-2; beaten Mexico 2-0; whipped Poland 2-0 at the group stages then piped Australia 2-1 at the round of 16 but in the quarterfinal drew 2-2 with Netherlands before winning on penalties 4-2 and then trounced Croatia 3-0 in the semifinals. They played 6 matches; drew 1; and lost 1 scoring 12 goals and conceding 7. Argentina had three clean slates (not conceding a goal at all in a match) against Mexico, Poland and Croatia meaning the country has a good defence and capable goalkeeper which France have to beat.
France walloped Australia 4-1; beat Denmark 2-1; but lost to Tunisia by a lone goal at the group stages; Poland was pulled down 3-1 at the round of 16 matches; almighty Samba boys of Brazil were sent home to a stone throwing reception 2-1 in the quarterfinal; then Morocco fell like a pack of cards 2-0 in the semifinal. France played 6 matches; won 5; lost 1; scored 13 goals and conceded 5. It shows France is a good scoring team but the one goal each conceded in five of the six matches shows they are constantly leaking at the defence. What is the guarantee two goals may not be scored by Argentina with a magical Messi and the South Americans will park the train not the bus and wait for final whistle. A goal well defended can win the coveted trophy.
Thus Argentina ranked 3 is in her 6th appearance in a world cup final being there in 1930, 1978, 1986, 1990, 2014 and now 2022 but winning only twice in 1978 and 1986. They were Bronze medalists in Peru 1978 and Serbia 2006; 4th placed four times in 1934; 1958; 1962 and 2002 while they played quarter final in 1965, 1998, 2006 and 2010 in South Africa. They need this cup badly because it is the last their talisman, Messi will be playing. On Sunday is the world cup final.
France does not have great records like Argentina though they are ranked 4th. France won the trophy while hosting in 1998 and at Russia 2018 and are desperate to join Brazil and Italy who were back to back winners before. Brazil won in 1958 beating Sweden 5-2 and in 1962 when they trashed Czechoslovakia 3-1. That feat was 60 years ago. So France wants to join the Global Elite Team.
The Head to head list is long but I choose to list from 6th June 1978 when Argentina beat France 2-1 at group stage; France won 2-0 on 26th March 1986; France lost 0-1 on the 7th of February 2007; lost again 0-2 on 11th February 2007 and at their last meeting which was a round of 16 encounter on 30th June 2018 at Russia world cup won by France Mbappe scored a brace to send Argentina out 4-3.
France has the advantage to win on Sunday.
Eniola Olatunji reporting.
