The end is almost here. It has come down to the last match of the tournament after almost a month packed with action and suspense. It was indeed a thrilling ride that players from 32 countries have delivered to football fans around the world. We’ve seen top teams like five-time champion Brazil and favourite England knocked out of the tournament. We’ve also seen underdogs emerge and shine in this year’s FIFA World Cup.
Finally! It’s time to decide on the ultimate winner that can take all the glory at Qatar’s 2022 FIFA World Cup. Could Argentina win their third World Cup? Or could the defending champion France break the holder’s curse once and for all to retain their title? It will surely be an exciting match as Argentina and France take on each other after their last match in the 2018 Round of 16. Read for S188 ‘s take on the favourite to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup so you can bet and win big on https://s188plays1.com/my/en-us/v1/sportsbook.
Argentina
Argentina had a little hiccup after losing to Saudi Arabia in the opening match of the group stages. However, they managed to take control by beating Mexico and Poland with a cushion of two goals for each match to top Group C. In the Round of 16 against Australia, we saw Lionel Messi score in his 1,000th game to help Argentina advance to the quarter-finals. Argentina, led by Messi, was too strong for the Australian side to handle.
Argentina went on to face the Netherlands in the quarter-finals. It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for the Argentinian side. The match started with one goal and one assist from Messi to allow Argentina to take the lead. However, the Netherlands equalised in the 11th minute of the second-half stoppage time, causing tension to fly high. Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz had to give a record-breaking 16 yellow cards. Ultimately, Argentina managed to advance to the semi-finals after they claimed victory in a dramatic 4-3 penalty shootout.
In the semi-finals, Messi took centre stage again by scoring a goal and securing a stunning assist for Julian Alvarez. The Argentinian side blocked Croatia from creating any chance to equalise to secure their sixth World Cup final.
Most goals scored in a 2022 FIFA World Cup match (Argentina): Three goals in the semi-finals against Croatia
Top goalscorer in the 2022 FIFA World Cup (for Argentina): Lionel Messi
This shouldn’t be a surprise, as he is Argentina’s all-time top goal scorer. We all know how incredibly on form Messi is this season. He scored five goals and recorded three assists, making it his personal best record at the World Cups and Argentina’s top goalscorer at the World Cups. Let’s see if he can score in the final to clinch the title at his last appearance in the FIFA World Cup.
France
France cruised in the first two group stage matches but was beaten by Tunisia in the last group stage match. However, they managed to top Group D with six points. In the Round of 16, we saw French superstar Kylian Mbappe score two goals to displace Poland in the World Cup and secure France’s spot in the semi-finals. Although they were not starting as sharp as they normally do, two goals from Mbappe and one from Giroud were enough to show off France’s talent and depth in the field.
France took on England in an exciting quarter-finals match. Aurélien Tchouaméni was the unlikely hero that opened the scoring with a shot from a distance in the first half. We saw Harry Kane score a penalty in the 54th minute to equalise. France needed another hero to keep their World Cup dreams alive this time. Giroud, who did not create many chances in the first half, finally scored a goal in the 78th minute for France to lead. The English team almost had the chance of extra time or a penalty shootout but was cut short as Kane missed a penalty awarded to England in the 84th minute. This makes France go into their seventh semi-finals at the World Cup, and England is eliminated from the World Cups’ quarter-finals for the seventh time.
In the semi-finals, we saw France end the underdog, Morocco’s dream of being the first African and Arab nation to reach the World Cup finals. An early goal by Theo Hernandez kept France’s hope of becoming the first defending World Cup champion to reach the final in over two decades alive. Later we saw substitute Randal Kolo Muani scoring a goal in the 79th minute to secure France’s ticket to the final. French defender Ibrahima Konaté also gave a splendid performance with solid defending in the left-sided centre-back, excellent reading of the play, and pace on the ball. Argentina will have a hard time if we see Konaté in the line-up.
Most goals scored in a 2022 FIFA World Cup match (France): Four goals against Australia in the group stages opening match.
Top goalscorer in the 2022 FIFA World Cup (France): Kylian Mbappe
Mbappe is racing with Argentina’s Messi for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot with five goals apiece. Giroud is just a goal away with four goals. It’ll be surely exciting to see them battle it out for the Golden Boot. So remember to place your bets for the top goalscorer for this year’s FIFA World Cup on S188.
2022 FIFA World Cup Final
Argentina vs. Brazil – Sunday, 18 December, 11 pm (GMT+8)
Remember to place your bet on S188 for the battle of the greats! Guaranteed to be the safest and most convenient site for 2022 FIFA betting Malaysia.
The excitement of the FIFA World Cup final extends beyond the match itself, bringing transformative effects to the host city. How Does Hosting a Major Sporting Event Change a City? delves into the profound impact of such events, examining the lasting changes in infrastructure, economy, and global reputation that hosting the World Cup and similar tournaments can have on a city, long after the final whistle blows.