JAKARTA - The French national team will face Argentina in the Qatar 2022 World Cup final, Sunday, December 18. In this match, France will receive additional pressure from supporters of Albiceleste.
Argentina may have the support of a majority of neutral spectators when Lionel Messi is eyeing his first title at the World Cup and is likely to have his last game in the tournament at the age of 35.
The South American team will also see more supporters at the Lusail Stadium, where more than 40,000 people will arrive in Doha for the occasion, when French fans are around 6,000.
Meanwhile, France wants to be the first country in 60 years to win the World Cup for the second time in a row.
"I understand very well that Argentina will have a lot of people to support them," said coach Didier Deschamps, who hopes to become the first coach to win two consecutive World Cups since Vittrio PIking from Italy in the 1930s.
"I am waiting for the atmosphere of the party brought by the Argentine people who are very excited and will support their team.
"They love singing and are very expressive. That's good, after all this is the World Cup final, but our opponents are not in the stands," Deschamps was quoted as quoted by Antara via AFP, Saturday, December 18.
France has a chance to defend the World Cup trophy like Brazil did in 1962. Les Blues and Albiceleste are both eyeing their third trophy, which Argentina's last win was in 1986.
French captain Hugo Lloris has said his team will not be fixated on Messi, as Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has built a solid team around the superstar.
"We came to this competition to appear as far as possible. Many people don't believe in us but we are here to return to the final again," said Lloris, who witnessed a number of French star players absent in Qatar due to injury.
"We know what Messi has represented in the history of our sport but this is a match between France and Argentina. We will do everything we can to win this last fight."
France beat Argentina 4-3 in the last 16 as they headed for the 2018 World Cup title.
However, Messi is one of Argentina's key players who performed in the match in the Russian city of Kazan that day. He will appear again in the final match on Sunday.
"I think they had seven players there in 2018 so it's not the same team. It's also in the last 16, so there's no profit to compare," said Deschamps.
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