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World Cup S/F Fixture


Tuesday 13th December

S/F 1 - Croatia v Argentina - Lusail Stadium, Lusail - Referee: Daniele Orsato (Italy) - 7pm



Argentina make two changes to the side that edged past the Netherlands on penalties in the quarter-finals.

Leandro Paredes and Nicolas Tagliafico come in, replacing Lisandro Martinez and Marcos Acuna.

Star man Lionel Messi leads the line alongside Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez.

Argentina XI: Martinez, Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico, De Paul, Paredes, Fernandez, Mac Allister, Alvarez, Messi.


Croatia stick with the same side that started the victory on penalties over Brazil in the previous round.

It means Tottenham's Ivan Perisic continues in his advanced role, while Celtic's Josip Juranovic plays at right-back.

Rangers full-back Borna Barisic has to make do with a place on the bench again.

Croatia XI: Livakovic, Juranovic, Lovren, Gvardiol, Sosa, Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic, Pasalic, Perisic, Kramaric.


Two iconic Ballon d'Or-winning number 10s. Two beaten World Cup finalists. Two captains. One last chance to finally reach the peak of football and lift the famous trophy before they retire.

It is hard to look past Argentina's Lionel Messi and Croatia's Luka Modric as the two difference-makers in Tuesday's first World Cup semi-final.

With Paris St-Germain's Messi now 35 and Real Madrid's Modric 37, it seems highly likely the final or third-place play-off this weekend will be where their World Cup careers end.

So how do the two compare and which one will lead his country to a final against France or Morocco on Sunday?


www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63934409

Updated..

'He's a disaster' – Luka Modric FUMING with referee after Croatia's World Cup 2022 exit..


Croatia captain Luka Modric has launched a scathing attack on referee Daniele Orsato, after taking issue with the Italian's performance in Tuesday's World Cup 2022 semi-final defeat to Argentina.

The 2018 runners-up were comprehensively beaten 3-0 by Lionel Messi and co – and it was the decision which led to Argentina's first goal, a Messi penalty, that seemed to particularly rile Modric.

Orsato pointed the spot after adjudging Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic to have brought down Julian Alvarez – but Modric and co. seemed to think Alvarez had run into Livakovic.

That was the view of ITV pundits Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Ian Wright during half-time analysis (although co-commentators Lee Dixon and Ally McCoist sided with the Italian referee, believing he'd made the correct decision).

And Modric was similarly perplexed to Keane, Neville and Wright. The legendary midfielder – who, now aged 37, will surely bid the World Cup farewell in Saturday's third place play-off – said: "Argentina was a fair winner of the game; they were better; they deserved to win – but these things have to be mentioned. I generally don't do them, but they have to be done.

"I don't like to talk about referees ... but this is one of the worst. I don't have a good memory of him; he's a disaster. For me, it wasn't a penalty.

"Despite this, I don't want to detract from Argentina. The penalty killed us. We have to recover for [the third place play-off] and win that game."

The third place play-off – in which Croatia will take on the loser of tonight's semi-final between France and Morocco – looks set to be Modric's 19th and final World Cup appearance.

As Croatia finished as runners-up to France four years ago, the Real Madrid man won the Golden Ball as the player of the tournament; he scored both of his World Cup goals at those finals.

World Cup S/F Result..

Wednesday 14th December

S/F 2 - Morocco 0 France 2 (Hernández 5, Kolo Muani 79)

France were pushed all the way by World Cup wild cards Morocco before the holders sealed a place in Sunday's final against Argentina.

The first African side to reach a World Cup semi-final refused to buckle despite suffering the early blows of losing key defender Nayef Aguerd to injury after he was named in the starting line-up, and then going behind to Theo Hernandez's scrambled fifth minute goal.

France, for all Morocco's endeavour and spirit, were more clinical and substitute Randal Kolo Muani ensured they will defend their crown against Argentina and Lionel Messi at Lusail Stadium on Sunday when he turned in Kylian Mbappe's deflected shot 11 minutes from time.

Morocco also lost the clearly unfit Romain Saiss to injury before half-time but, roared on by their fanatical support, they came close to drawing level, especially when Jawad El Yamiq's overhead kick was kept out by a combination of the post and France keeper Hugo Lloris.

France, with Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate outstanding, kept their composure in the hothouse atmosphere of Al Bayt Stadium and had chances of their own, Olivier Giroud striking the post in the first half.

Didier Deschamps' side always threatened on the break and so it proved as the lurking Muani finally broke Morocco's resistance late on with his first touch, 44 seconds after coming on, for his maiden France goal.

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You could see it happening.  That for all their pressure, the Moroccans would give the ball away in midfield, and the French would break away and kill the game off.
I hope the Argies beat them on Sunday.  Would be happy enough to see Messi lift the cup.
And it would be one up the arse for Ronaldo, if nothing else.

No Archie Stephens??   I`ve lost all respect for you.

Press Conference Today..'This World Cup has created a unique, cohesive power'

Gianni Infantino has started his press conference by praising the success of the tournament: "The unanimous praise of Fifa Council for this World Cup and for the unique cohesive power this World Cup has shown.

"Thanks to everyone involved, Qatar, all the volunteers to make this is the best World Cup ever."

Gianni Infantino has moved onto some of the numbers behind the tournament so far.

He says 3.27 million spectators have attended the games.

“Matches have been played without incidents. It has been a very joyful atmosphere,” said Infantino.

"There is something happening when we talk about football becoming truly global, with an African team [Morocco] reaching the semi-final for the first time. We also had a woman [Stephanie Frappart] referee a match for the first time.

"It has been an incredible success, approaching five billion in terms of viewing figures."

The questions have started now, and the first one is about the tournament as a whole.

“The World Cup has been an incredible success on all fronts," said Infantino.

"The main one being the fans, the behaviour, the joyful atmosphere, the bringing of people together. The fans meeting the Arab world, it has been very important for the future of all of us.

"When it comes to the matches, we have seen some incredibly competitive games, some surprises, some great goals.

"At the end of the day, there was on average 10 minutes played as additional time every match. This was a very fair World Cup on the pitch, no simulations, not so many yellow and red cards.

"But this shows the compliment goes to the players and coaches who maintained their calm, and of course the referees."

Fifa to revisit format of 2026 World Cup
Big news.

Gianni Infaninto has confirmed that Fifa will revisit, or at least, discuss the format of the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

The format for that tournament is due to be 16 three-team groups, with the top two progressing to the knockout stages.

"I have to say after this World Cup, and the success of the groups of four, we have to revisit or rediscuss the format whether we go for 16 groups of three or 12 groups of four," says Infantino.

WORLD CUP FINAL 2022

Sunday 18th December

Argentina v France - Lusail Stadium, Lusail - 3pm - Referee: Szymon Marciniak (Poland)


World Cup 2022: Ill France players 'staying in their rooms'

Several France players have caught colds, with Raphael Varane and Ibrahima Konate the latest to fall ill and miss training, the French Football Federation has confirmed.

Defender Dayot Upamecano and midfielder Adrien Rabiot were unavailable for the semi-final win over Morocco on Wednesday because of the illness.

Striker Randal Kolo Muani said the infected were isolating in their rooms.

France face Argentina in the World Cup final at 15:00 GMT on Sunday.

"Those who are sick stay in their rooms," said Kolo Muani. "They're being taken care of by the doctors and we've been enforcing social distancing. We're very strict about it."

Forward Ousmane Dembele agreed, saying the squad "were not scared" of the virus: "We've been taking precautions and I think everyone will be ready."

Boss Didier Deschamps had said on Wednesday he expected Upamecano and Rabiot to be well enough for the final.

However, should Konate and Varane be ruled out, he will have a selection dilemma as he would be without two of his top three defenders.

WORLD CUP FINAL 2022

Sunday 18th December

Argentina v France - Lusail Stadium, Lusail - 3pm - Referee: Szymon Marciniak (Poland)

Can Messi help Argentina win World Cup for first time since 1986.?

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Can Lionel Messi win a World Cup with Argentina or will Kylian Mbappe help France to win back-to-back tournaments?

Argentina play France in Sunday's final (15:00 GMT) at the Lusail Stadium.

Messi, 35, has won a record seven Ballon d'Or awards - presented to the best player in the world - but never won the biggest team prize in football.

"People say France are favourites, but we have the advantage of having the greatest player of all time," said Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

"We always like to hear the opponent is the favourite because we don't feel superior or inferior to anyone.

"But, as I always say, we have the greatest player of all time. And with a good defence, we have many chances to reach our goal."

France manager Didier Deschamps captained his country to World Cup victory in 1998 and then, as boss, guided them to another success in Russia four years ago.

He said: "I know Argentina, many people around the world, and maybe some French people, hope Lionel Messi could win the World Cup, but we're going to do everything to achieve our objective."

The final sees the tournament's top two goalscorers go head-to-head in the race to win the Golden Boot. Both Messi and Mbappe have scored five times in Qatar, while France's Olivier Giroud and Argentina's Julian Alvarez are one goal behind on four.

Messi helped Argentina reach the 2014 final in Brazil, although Germany's Mario Gotze scored the only goal as the Europeans won 1-0 after extra time.

But the Paris St-Germain player has been the driving force in Argentina's campaign in Qatar.

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Match facts


They have met three times before at the World Cup. Argentina won both group matches in 1930 and 1978, but France were victorious in their only knockout encounter, winning 4-3 in the last 16 in 2018.

Argentina are competing in their sixth World Cup final, with only Germany (eight) participating in more. They won in 1978 and 1986 and lost in 1930, 1990 and 2014.

They could become the second side in World Cup history to lose their opening game and go on to lift the trophy, emulating Spain in 2010.

Messi can become the third Argentine player to win the Golden Boot at the World Cup after Guillermo Stabile in 1930 and Mario Kempes in 1978.

France have reached the World Cup final for a fourth time, all since 1998. This is twice as many as any other nation in this period.

Les Bleus are looking to become only the third nation to win back-to-back World Cups, after Italy (1934-38) and Brazil (1958-62).