World Cup 2022 Final Predictions, Odds and Schedule for Argentina vs. France
First of all, what Morocco just did for FIFA World Cup fandom around the globe has to be acknowledged.
It came. It saw. It almost conquered.
Stopping just short of history, the Atlas Lions were finally felled by France in the semifinal on Wednesday night.
Now, nearly four weeks after 32 national teams converged on Qatar to compete in group-stage action, the World Cup final is here, and the last sides standing are two of the best in the world: Argentina and France.
Cinderella has left the dance. Only footballing powerhouses remain, so this is going to draw lots of eyes on Sunday, and the buildup is likely to reach sensory overload.
Sunday's matchup will feature two of the best footballers in the world in Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé.
Les Bleus will be defending their title against La Albiceleste, which will be playing in the sixth final in the country's history.
Morocco making it this far would have captured the hearts of fans, but this is the final everyone expected and the one that pits the best of the best against the best of the best.
With that said, here's how to watch and a brief of what to expect as fans worldwide gear up to see Argentina take on France.
World Cup TV Schedule
Saturday, December 17
Third-place match: Croatia vs. Morocco (10 a.m. ET, Fox)
Sunday, December 18
World Cup Final: Argentina vs. France (10 a.m. ET, Fox)
Argentina vs. France
90-Minute Money Line
Argentina +180 (bet $180 to win $100)
France +180 (bet $100 to win $180)
Draw +205
To Win The Cup
Argentina -110
France -115
Argentina and France have World Cup history.
They've been to five and three finals, respectively, have two titles each and gone head-to-head three times, with France coming out on top most recently in the round of 16 in 2018.
This will be the fourth head-to-head matchup for the pairing, and it should more than live up to the hype, which is likely to focus on the presence of Lionel Messi in the Argentina lineup.
Fans across the globe will be watching to see if the Paris Saint-Germain star can finally get that elusive World Cup win to cement his legacy in the game.
The 35-year-old is already considered one of soccer's greats, on par with Pelé and Diego Maradona, but the lack of a World Cup winner's medal separates him from those legends.
Messi is beloved worldwide because he's a magician on the pitch. He's an artist with his passing, dribbling and attacking.
Even fans who want France to win will have a hard time rooting against the former Barcelona man come Sunday, because this is his last chance to add that career exclamation point.
As for the game at hand, these two teams match up really well, so this game could end up going into extra time.
France has had to grind out wins in this World Cup, and its midfield was forced into changes for the last-four win over Morocco.
Argentina's midfield is tough to play through, and Manchester City striker Julián Álvarez has found a rich vein of goal-scoring form in Qatar with four to his name. Put simply, La Albiceleste are going to be hard to beat.
However, France has its own superstar in the shape of Kylian Mbappé, who is on the verge of a second World Cup triumph at the age of just 23.
The PSG star will be looking to steal the spotlight from clubmate Messi at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday.
This game will more than likely come down to who makes mistakes on the pitch and which superstar will ultimately take over the game.
There will be incredible attacks on both sides, so fans should be in for a memorable contest.
The oddsmakers couldn't quite land on an overwhelming favorite, so bettors should proceed at their own risk.
For everyone else, get ready, because this should be all gas and no brake, but no one's going to mind that.
Prediction: Argentina 3, France 2
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.