Argentina v France - Sun 18th Dec, 15:00 | Final | World Cup 2022

[Keeper!]

What are the actual arguments for it being Maradona though?

- He won a World Cup and Messi hasn't...

... that's it. And that record might not even last until Monday morning.

Maradona was an exceptional technician, incredibly entertaining to watch and often the player who dragged his team through games when they were struggling. Messi is all of those things AND a far better goalscorer AND a better assister.

Maradona retired about 25 years ago. In 25 years, I think most Argentinians will recognise Messi as being the better player. Nostalgia is a hell of a thing, that's why half the clowns in England are still pretending Gerrard was better than De Bruyne.

It's not Maradona people are in love with, it's the memory of how much better they think football used to be in the 90s.

Also, I don't doubt that many Argentinians would call Maradona the best of all time, but they aren't unbiased. It's well known that Messi is quite unpopular with many Argentinians for reasons that have nothing to do with football. I should probably have led with that to be honest.

Maradona played on terrible pitches and was the subject of GBH during every game.

He played at a time when it was acceptable for opposition players to simply take a player out, some of the 'tackles' made on him were scary and it was a miracle he played as long as he did.

Maradona was magnificent, so is Messi, I have been incredibly fortunate to witness and watch both in the flesh and it was a privilege.

 

[kunavellaneda]

There is no such discussion in Argentina. Maradona is idolized by everyone but he is only considered better than Messi by those over 45 years of age and with much more emphasis if they are from the lower classes, since they see in him someone who defeated poverty and climbed to the top of the world. In the rest of the population, except for the garbage of journalism, it is clear that Messi far surpassed the career that Diego had

 

[KS55]

Getting offended by that is like the Germans getting offended by the "German bombers" song. It is part of football culture, not to be taken literally.

Do you really think that folks like Aguero, Zabaleta, etc., who have lived on England for a big part of their lives and surely have a lot of respect and love for England and their people, really sing that song (and make no mistake, they have sang it many times during their lives) with any other intention than just sparking footballing banter?

The Falklands war was in 1982 so none of these players were alive at the time.
It‘s just silly banter. English response: GOTCHA.

 

[bigstanhibbert]

Not sure if this has been posted, do it for Zabba

'90 minutes from glory' - what it's like to play in a World Cup final

Former Argentina defender Pablo Zabaleta explains what it feels like to be one of only 444 men to have played in a World Cup final.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Champions Again Ole Ole]

The little boy from Rosario argentina. On behalf of every little boy wearing his shirt. Messi on a million backs. Messi for a million flashbulbs.

Hopefully today is the day all doubt is removed and Messi becomes the greatest there ever was. Anyone who doesn't want Argentina to win today isn't a football fan.

 

[The Future’s Blue!]

If Qatar could‘ve paid for 2 teams to make the final, they couldn’t have done better than this.

 

[Ric]

All Argentina today, aren’t we?

 

[mac]

All Argentina today, aren’t we?

I just want Julian to bag a couple and win the golden boot. Just so we don't have to hear about the 2 pompous pricks. Julian has had a very good world cup. He works tirelessly for the team.

 

[Dr Jacoby]

77% think Argentina will win….

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

All Argentina today, aren’t we?

I always feel a lot better when the French take a beating - no matter what! Football, rugby, tennis, tiddlywinks. There's just something that puts a spring in the step, gets the wheels on my bike spinning along!

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

There's this Messi lad...

I just hope Julian has got his running legs firmly attached, well-oiled, and raring to give the French defence the most torrid of times, and then Messi can just pop up and stroke one, or possibly three, into to the corner.

 

[Innsbruckblue]

I‘d love France to win. Sick to death of hearing about Messi and how he ‘deserves’ to win a WC. I think the victor has already been chosen, however.

 

[RACHACE]

Not fussed who wins it as I'm not particularly fond of either nation. Although our connection with Argentine players over the years has softend my dislike of Argentina the cheating, horrible putas. The French are just absolute arrogant pricks who would do well to remember that they didn't lift a World Cup until 1998 so their history in the competition doesn't quite warrant the level of arrogance that they have. Also, Paris is a fucking overhyped dump of a City and French onion soup gives me heartburn.

I just want to see a decent game but I can see it being a fairly uneventful 90 minutes with both sides being too scared to push too far forward so the draw after the 90 looks an OK bet. I'll be having £20 on the draw.

If Alvarez bags the winner though, I'll be very happy for the kid and also happy with his value completely sky rocketing to towards 100 million. Great for City should Barcelona or Real Madrid start sniffing.

 

[the blue panther]

As good as Mbappe is, he's a smug bastard, and for that reason alone I want France to lose today, as he'll take smugness back up to a level not seen since old whisky nose was lording it at OT 20 years or so ago. I've never got the impression that Messi is the big headed smug twat Mbappe appears to be when he's banging goals in against some cannon-fodder.
Add the fact that Alvarez is as honest and hard working as the day is long - and for the sake of Aguero and Zabba - I'm praying for an Argentine win.
And finally, as I've said previously, I yearn to utter the words, " Look - Nicolas Otamendi; World Cup winner!"

 

[RACHACE]

My understanding is that Putas means Bitches.

I know this because a mate of mine was at some flats on the outskirts of Benidorm once as he got lost. Anyway, the door of the flat he was at where he was seeking directions back to the bars has Putas written in graffiti on it.

Once the kind ladies in the flat had given him the directions that he seeked and relieved him of his pesetas that were in his back pocket, he asked what the word on the door meant and they replied Bitches.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

Imagine being someone that doesn’t want Argentina to win the World Cup today. France are very raggy to me. Argentina have the City connections. I’m fully invested and desperate for them to win.

 

[citydad]

Off to Lusail to have a nosey in my City shirt. Because I was on a conditional final ticket for a possible England appearance it denied me before the tournament a chance to obtain one in case we didn't. So last day to absorb the incredible month, and roll on Thursday to get back to the Etihad. CITY CITY CITY.

 

[stonerblue]

Tough one for the xenophobes and casual racists..

 

[lonestay]

If it's a close game I can see FIFA instructing the fourth official in the 98 min to just wander on and punt the ball into the french net!!! Lol !!!!

 

[Gumzy97]

I have a really bad feeling that this will be the passing of the torch moment, all the media hype has been about Messi finally getting his first world cup, but I think this is the game Mbappe shows how good he is and scores a couple. winning the world cup for France. plus if its true and Thuram is starting then that means its Mbappe up front against Otamendi.