France vs. Argentina: World Cup Final Open Thread

The World Cup formally comes to an end today. While the group stage and knockouts gave us a ton of surprises, in the end it’s two giants of international football that are left standing. One will add a star to their badge in a few hours.

France vs. Argentina

World Cup Final

Lusail Stadium, Doha, Qatar

Time: 3:00 PM UK, 10:00 AM ET

Lionel Messi has been here before, but it’s the closest he’s gotten to becoming a world champion. While he’s led his country to a Copa America, adding a star to Argentina’s badge will seal his legacy as arguably the greatest player of all time. He has the help in this lineup, including Tottenham Hotspur defender Cuti Romero, to win it all.

Standing in Argentina’s way are European giants France. Captain Hugo Lloris and Les Bleus have been here before and climbed to the top of the mountain in 2018. Their attack is led by the terrifying Kylian Mbappe, and while the thought of France missing something with the pre-tournament injury of Karim Benzema was there, it’s clear they’ve been just fine without him. It’s hard to place a bet on this one, but it should be an entertaining final.