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Lionel Messi is set to lead Argentina in the FIFA World Cup final against France at the Lusail Stadium today (December 18). La Pulga's inclusion in the starting XI comes as no surprise, with many fans widely expecting to see him feature against the Blues. His fans are also expecting him to win the coveted trophy, against all odds.
The Argentina captain has won every major trophy he has been eligible for, bar the FIFA World Cup. However, the forward has led La Albiceleste to their second final in eight years, having lost to Germany in 2014.
This time around, fans believe that he will secure the only trophy that has eluded him and officially become the greatest player of all time.
They took to Twitter to make bullish claims about Messi, with the 35-year-old potentially set to end his FIFA World Cup career on a massive high. Here is a selection of their tweets:
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Former France international Mikael Silvestre warns Les Bleus about Lionel Messi ahead of FIFA World Cup final against Argentina
Former Les Bleus defender Mikael Silvestre has warned France that Messi should be their main concern when they face La Albiceleste in the final. The Argentine playmaker has scored five goals and provided three assists at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He could be crowned the best player in the competition after the final.
However, Didier Deschamps could put a dent in La Pulga's intentions if the manager can find a way to limit his efforts in the final third. This is according to Silvestre, who told Bettingexpert (via DailyPost):
“First of all you need to stop the feeder to Messi. And it’s very important to get close to him before he receives the ball otherwise it will be too late because he is too good. We have to make sure to close him down before he gets the ball. I think France will win because we are very disciplined.”
Messi has formed an impressive rapport with his Argentina teammates, including Enzo Fernandez, Julian Alvarez, and Alexis Mac Allister. If Deschamps takes Silvestre's words seriously, the manager will have to figure out a way to isolate Messi from his teammates.
Based on recent statistics, things do not bode so well for France, especially in defense. While they have impressed in attack, Les Bleus have kept just one clean sheet since the FIFA World Cup commenced. This means they will need to exceed expectations defensively and be at their best against the south American side.
Argentina have consistently found the net in every game they have played in Qatar, and they are widely expected to continue that feat. France will need to be on top of their game if they are to keep La Albiceleste from finding the net in the FIFA World Cup final.
