World Cup 2022 LIVE: France set up dream final against Lionel Messi’s Argentina after overcoming Morocco

Think of France in a World Cup semi-final and the picture which will spring to thoughts dates again 4 a long time. It is so vivid, so stunning, the assault by the West German goalkeeper Toni Schumacher on Patrick Battiston that it stays probably the most notorious moments in footballing historical past. At the time, it was not even deemed a foul. France, who performed some lovely soccer in that 1982, went out on penalties, ethical winners in a 3-3 draw however precise losers.

They have received 4 World Cup semi-finals since then, three involving Didier Deschamps, none with as many objectives as they acquired in 1982, none as memorable, every with one thing of a recurring theme. France weren’t essentially emphatic winners, however they had been winners. Like Croatia in 1998, Portugal in 2006 and Belgium in 2018, Morocco may mirror on what may need been. Like Croatia 24 years in the past, one other nation of their maiden semi-final on this stage, they’re entitled to really feel they had been the higher workforce.

It could not matter. Better to be serial winners than gallant losers. If Deschamps’ trophy assortment is spectacular sufficient, he additionally has a behavior of steering sides by means of semi-finals, from the 2004 Champions League to the 2022 World Cup. Each is a method to an finish. The sense is that his France do sufficient and no extra, providing a sort of effectivity, even when they needed to exert loads of effort on a night when Morocco examined their resolve and their legs alike.

Morocco nonetheless have the prospect to finish an unforgettable event on a excessive as Africa’s first ever semi-finalists tackle Croatia in Saturday’s third-place play-off.

“We were disappointed for Moroccan people tonight,” Walid Regragui mentioned. “We wanted to keep their dream alive. Of course, we’re pleased with what we achieved but we felt we could have gone even further.

“But small details help real champions win and we saw them tonight. They have a lot of subs who can come in and make the difference but I said to the players I was proud of them and His Majesty (King Mohammed VI) is proud and the Moroccan people are proud.

“We have given a good image of Morocco and a good image of African football.”

Antoine Griezmann says enjoying Lionel Messi is “a totally different proposition” to anything they’ve confronted in Qatar as France gear up for a World Cup title defence against Argentina.

“Any team with Messi in is a totally different proposition.” Griezmann mentioned. “We have seen practically all of their matches at this World Cup.

“We have seen Argentina play, we know how they play. They are a difficult team to play and they seem to be on top form.

“Of course, not only Messi, they have a strong side around him so we know it is going to be a tough game and they will have a lot of support in the crowd.

“We will get back to work tomorrow, focused on it, how we can hurt them, how we can defend against them. We will be well prepared.”

If the extremity of French emotion confirmed how shut this exceptional semi-final actually was, their celebration comes on the expense of 1 public social gathering. They could but spoil one other. Qatar will rejoice both method, as they’ve their blue-chip occasion, with two of their Paris Saint-Germain stars assembly.

Through that, France grew to become simply the seventh workforce to achieve successive World Cup finals and should turn out to be simply the third to retain the trophy, however solely after a 2-0 win over Morocco that pressured Didier Deschamps’s workforce to achieve for his or her final reserves of power.

Walid Regragui’s workforce pushed them to the restrict. That could but have an affect in Sunday’s grand finale against Lionel Messi’s Argentina, particularly as France once more appeared so unconvincing. It has been a attribute of their marketing campaign, simply because it was in 2018. Maybe they’re the brand new Germany in that sense, proper up to how they’ve reached three finals within the final 4 main competitions, and all the way down to how they hold beating international darlings.

France 2-0 Morocco match report by Miguel Delaney

When is the World Cup final?

Argentina vs France will kick off at 3pm GMT on Sunday 18 December.

It can be proven reside on each BBC One and ITV 1.

Just two groups stay on the World Cup in Qatar after defending champions France ended Morocco’s dream run on the event to set up a sensational final against Argentina and Lionel Messi on Sunday.

World champions France used all of their expertise to outlive some nervy moments against Morocco, who produced a defiant efficiency regardless of going a purpose behind throughout the opening 5 minutes. Walid Regragui’s aspect had turn out to be the primary workforce from Africa to achieve the semi-finals of the World Cup but it surely was France who progressed to the final due to objectives from Theo Hernandez and substitute Randal Kolo Muani.

France and star ahead Kylian Mbappe now face Argentina as they bid to turn out to be the primary workforce in 60 years to win back-to-back World Cups. Argentina defeated Croatia on Tuesday following an impressed efficiency from Messi, who has confirmed Sunday’s final can be his final World Cup match as he makes an attempt to win soccer’s best prize for the primary time in his profession.