World Cup: France battle past Morocco to set up thrilling final against Argentina
Lionel Messi has the weight of a nation on his shoulders as he prepares to lead his Argentina side out in the final of the 2022 World Cup against defending champions France on Sunday.
Messi is looking to go one better than eight years ago when he missed out on football’s greatest prize at the hands of Germany; Argentina will be full of confidence after a convincing 3-0 victory against Croatia in the semi-finals.
France, meanwhile, saw off Morocco’s valiant challenge in the semi-finals to reach a second consecutive World Cup final, with Kylian Mbappe looking to guide his country to another historic triumph as they bid to become the first team in 60 years to win back-to-back World Cups.
Elsewhere, Morocco are eyeing a medal as they take on Croatia tomorrow in the third-fourth play-off in Qatar.
Follow all the latest news and reaction from Qatar plus build-up to Sunday’s World Cup final between France and Argentina in our live blog below:
World Cup 2022: Latest news ahead of Argentina vs France final
Morocco’s intoxicating run shows why the country should host the 2030 World Cup
The moment it became obvious this would not be a regulation evening of association football came around 50 minutes before kick off. The stadium was barely 10 per cent full, the pitch deserted, and on jogged the French goalkeeping contingent to begin their warm-up. The reaction was deafening, a cacophony of whistles which rang out from the far end where a few thousand Moroccans had packed into the bottom tier. Then came the rest of the French players, and the whistles grew into a murderous screech. There was fury in the air, and things were about to get messy.
When they weren’t taunting the French they were drumming and singing and revelling in their first World Cup semi-final. Their chants were loud, constant and diverse, as translated at half-time by one fan with several Moroccan flags flapping around his body. “Always Morocco!” was a regular; “Boys, bring it home!” was an impassioned plea; and “Goal! Goal! Goal!” was their way of sucking the ball into the net when it came close. Later they embarked on a rousing Thunderclap and one woman pointed accusingly at people around her, demanding they stand and join in as if each and every ticket was a conscription to battle.
A night earlier Croatia had wilted under the weight of Argentina’s first goal, conceding a quick second and with it any foothold in the game. Morocco conceded much sooner here, but they did not fold. Their supporters were hushed for the briefest moment but by the time the ball was back on the centre spot they were chanting ferociously, an intoxicating swell of defiance, and if you’d not seen the goal you could have been convinced their team had scored it.
Michael Jones16 December 2022 18:15
World Cup’s tears and tantrums vindicate the four-year cycle
This is the power of a World Cup, a place where emotions are brought to the fore, stripped down and exposed. A place where rippling alphas remember being little boys with big dreams. None of them wanted to show it: Suarez hid his face in his shirt, Ronaldo marched to the dressing room, Kane hunched into a ball as his teammates shooed the cameras away. But they could not hold it in.
There is an enormity to each World Cup, as if watching history being written in indelible ink. Each tournament paints a picture with the moments that define it: Carlos Alberto’s goal in 1970, Maradona’s hand of God in 1986, that time Nigel de Jong nearly killed Xabi Alonso in 2010. A World Cup has its own definitiveness and a sense that few roads lead to second chances or redemption.
Michael Jones16 December 2022 18:00
Lionel Messi’s World Cup history: Struggles, heartbreak and magic for Argentina
Lionel Messi will break the record for the most World Cup appearances when he leads Argentina out against France in Sunday’s final.
Barring injury, Messi will beat Germany great Lothar Matthaus’ record with his 26th appearance at the finals since his debut 16 years ago.
Here we look at his history on the game’s biggest stage:
Michael Jones16 December 2022 17:50
Ten things we learned from sport in 2022
Sport did its best to get back to normal in 2022 after two years of disruption brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The danger of positive tests still lurked but this year the biggest impact on the calendar was brought about by the need to stage the World Cup in winter.
Here, we look at 10 things we have learned from the sporting year.
Michael Jones16 December 2022 17:40
Portugal coach Fernando Santos leaves role after World Cup exit
Santos took on the role of Portugal coach in 2014 and guided his nation to their first major trophy with a triumph at Euro 2016. Portugal were then title winners during the inaugural edition of the Nations League in 2019.
Santos, 68, made the bold call to drop captain Cristiano Ronaldo to the bench this month in Portugal’s last-16 win over Switzerland and subsequent loss to Morocco.
Michael Jones16 December 2022 17:30
Morocco coach tells team to seize chance to win World Cup ‘booby prize’
Morocco head coach Walid Regragui admits the World Cup third-place play-off is the “worst game” to play in but still wants his side to become the first African nation to medal in a finals.
Having beaten Belgium, Spain and Portugal to reach the semis, Morocco lost 2-0 to reigning champions France as their record-breaking run came to an end in Qatar.
They will now face Croatia at Khalifa International Stadium on Saturday to battle for the bronze medal, having already become the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final.
Michael Jones16 December 2022 17:20
Theo Hernandez adds to France’s stellar cast of second-choice stand-outs
Jack Charlton was not even the best footballer in his own family but he was a World Cup winner. Theo Hernandez might not be the best left-back in his family but he has scored in a World Cup semi-final. In the process, he may make his injured brother a double World Cup winner.
Certainly Didier Deschamps began the World Cup 2022 by preferring Lucas Hernandez, the more defensively-solid sibling and a stalwart of the 2018-winning side. He advances to a second successive final in part thanks to the second choice, who was swiftly promoted when his brother damaged a cruciate ligament in the opening minutes of the tournament. He saw off Morocco thanks to a man who started the World Cup on the bench and one who began the evening as a replacement: Theo was joined on the scoresheet by Randal Kolo Muani, who received a late call-up for the World Cup when Christopher Nkunku was ruled out.
They are far from the only examples of how France have turned adversity into an advantage. Theo Hernandez’s adventurous streak explains why he was the first opponent to score against Morocco this World Cup: why, when Kylian Mbappe’s shot was blocked, he was on hand in the six-yard box to hook in a shot.
Michael Jones16 December 2022 17:10
France taking action to stop virus spreading through squad ahead of World Cup final
France are following strict medical rules to prevent a sickness bug spreading through their squad ahead of Sunday’s mouth-watering World Cup final with Argentina.
Question marks surround the availability of a handful of French players, with some being made to isolate in their rooms at the team’s base in Qatar.
Michael Jones16 December 2022 17:00
Croatia hopeful Luka Modric won’t retire after World Cup
Modric, 37, will not feature at the next World Cup and may not yet start Saturday’s bronze medal encounter against Morocco at Khalifa International Stadium.
But Dalic believes the Real Madrid midfielder may continue playing until Euro 2024 in Germany, even though it will purely be the decision of Modric himself.
Michael Jones16 December 2022 16:50
‘Messi doesn’t scare us’, claims France star Theo Hernandez ahead of World Cup final
Les Bleus booked their place in a second successive final with a 2-0 victory over battling Morocco on Wednesday evening, leaving them just one win away from becoming the first team to retain the World Cup since Brazil in 1962.
Argentina are the side standing in their way, with talisman Messi having inspired them to this point in his final World Cup and many believing it is written in the stars that he will finally lift the one major trophy to elude him in his glittering career to date.
Michael Jones16 December 2022 16:30