And then there were two. The world’s biggest one-sport competition is down to just two teams from an original field of 32. France will face off against Argentina in the 2022 World Cup Final.

Based on pre-tournament odds, France and Argentina making it to the final is not a surprise. Pre-tournament odds had France favored at +450 with Argentina sitting tied for the third favorite at +550. It’s also noteworthy that both teams will be vying for their third World Cup titles. France are looking to add to their 1998 and 2018 wins. Argentina previous came out on top in 1978 and 1986.

Note: Both Italy and Brazil have won back-to-back titles, an elite club that France will try to join with a victory over Argentina.

The match is scheduled for Sunday, December 18th at 10:00 AM Eastern time. The current odds from BetMGM sportsbook show the match as a “pick-em” with both teams listed at -110.

Path to the Finals

Both teams have made it to the finals with a single loss.

France qualified for the elimination rounds by taking Group D with wins over Australia (4-1) and Denmark (2-1) while getting upset by the team from Tunisia (1-0). In the elimination rounds (in order), France beat Poland (3-1), England (2-1), and Morroco (2-0).

Argentina started its quest for the finals in Group C with a shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia only to rebound with impressive wins over Mexico (2-0) and Poland (2-0). They then made their way through the elimination rounds (in order) with a win over Australia (2-0), a tie and shootout victory over the Netherlands (2-2, 4-3 in SO), and dominant semi-finals win over Croatia (3-0).

The Matchup and Prediction

This is a matchup for the ages with both teams loaded with talent.

France enters the Final as the leading scoring teams in the tournament. They have notched up 13 goals en route. They have been led in scoring by superstar forward Kylian Mbappé with 5 goals and 2 assists, and Olivier Giroud with 4 goals.

Not surprisingly, the Argentinian team is led by the incomparable Lionel Messi. One of the best soccer players in history has been dominant on the field with 5 goals and 3 assists on just 12 goals scored by the team. He has also gotten excellent support from fellow forward Julian Alvarez, who has scored 4 goals. At this point, Messi looks certain to win the Golden Ball Trophy as best player of the tournament.

The game will be a contrast in styles. The French play a very methodical brand of soccer, waiting for the right moment to pounce. They often take a sit and wait approach, waiting for their opponents to make a mistake. It has served them well and they are on the verge of an historic defense of their title.

If Argentina has a fault, it’s that they rely too heavily on Messi. While they play a more explosive brand of soccer, they are indeed prone to those mistakes that France love to capitalize on.

Score Prediction: Look for France to seize the moment and claim the World Cup title 2-1.