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Tag: Antoine Griezmann

  • Key players in World Cup final between France and Argentina

    Key players in World Cup final between France and Argentina

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    DOHA, Qatar — Lionel Messi will line up for Argentina and Kylian Mbappé will be on the opposite side for France on Sunday in the World Cup final.

    Messi has been there before, but lost in the 2014 final to Germany. Mbappé won the 2018 title after scoring a goal against Croatia.

    However, neither will be able to win the gold trophy entirely on their own at Lusail Stadium.

    Here is a look at some of the key players on both teams, and their coaches:

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    LIONEL MESSI

    The 35-year-old Messi is the heart and soul of the Argentina team, the tournament’s co-leading scorer with five goals and tied for the most assists with three. Look for the Paris Saint-Germain forward to burst into creative life when he sees a chance to make something happen. A World Cup title would finally complete Messi’s elevation alongside Diego Maradona to icon status.

    JULIAN ALVAREZ

    Alvarez made it off the bench to replace Lautaro Martinez as the World Cup progressed and scored four goals in four starts with Argentina. The 22-year-old Machester City player is a powerful runner who created a perfect partnership with Messi in the 3-0 win over Croatia in the semifinals.

    EMILIANO MARTINEZ

    Martinez is an imposing 6-foot-4 goalkeeper with a personality to match his stature. “Dibu” would be favored if the final goes to a penalty shootout. The 30-year-old Aston Villa keeper made key saves in Argentina’s shootout win over the Netherlands in the quarterfinals and in last year’s Copa America semifinals.

    NAHUEL MOLINA

    Molina is an energetic fullback with the toughness expected of any Argentina defender. The 24-year-old Atletico Madrid defender also has attacking instincts. He received the no-look pass of the tournament from Messi to score against the Netherlands.

    ENZO FERNANDEZ

    Fernandez started the tournament as a substitute but was in the team to stay after scoring with his fast feet and a curling shot in Argentina’s victory over Mexico. The 21-year-old Benfica player anchors the center of midfield and will be trying to stop Antoine Griezmann’s forward forays.

    LIONEL SCALONI

    Scaloni was an assistant coach at the 2018 World Cup — when Argentina exited in the round of 16 against France – and is now an unheralded success in the top job. He brought a 35-game unbeaten run to Qatar that included ending a long wait for a Copa America last year. The 44-year-old Scaloni has succeeded in surrounding Messi with a midfield that lets him flourish.

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    KYLIAN MBAPPE

    Mbappé is France’s fastest, most dynamic scoring threat on the field. The 23-year-old Paris Saint-Germain forward is tied with Messi with a World Cup-leading five goals. A standout game against Argentina will place him among the all-time greats.

    ANTOINE GRIEZMANN

    The 31-year-old Griezmann has been a revelation for France at this year’s World Cup. Once a goal-scoring winger, the Atletico Madrid forward has added relentless defensive protection to his creative craft. A duel could develop with Messi between the lines of Argentina’s attack.

    HUGO LLORIS

    The 35-year-old Tottenham goalkeeper is poised to become the first-ever captain of two World Cup-winning teams. A quiet-spoken leader by example, he now holds France’s all-time appearance record.

    RAPHAEL VARANE

    At his third World Cup, the 29-year-old Varane is a fixture in the center of a France defense that keeps changing because of injury and illness. The four-time Champions League winner at Real Madrid is back to near his elegant best after an injury scare in October.

    AURELIEN TCHOUAMENI

    Tchouaméni arrived on the world stage ahead of schedule in the midfield role Paul Pogba had for France four years ago. He matched Pogba’s shooting power with his goal against England. Learning at Real Madrid this season, after spurning Mbappé’s urging to go to PSG, should prepare the 22-year-old midfielder for facing Argentina.

    DIDIER DESCHAMPS

    In his 11th year as France coach, Deschamps can become only the second man to lead two World Cup-winning teams and the first since 1938. The 54-year-old Deschamps has integrated inexperienced players to replace injured veterans without losing any of his team’s typical calm assurance.

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    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • France can win WCup group in style, Tunisia simply must win

    France can win WCup group in style, Tunisia simply must win

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    DOHA, Qatar — Defending champion France has not won its three World Cup group-stage matches since winning its first title in 1998.

    Tunisia hasn’t even won three matches in its World Cup history, but must beat France on Wednesday to have any chance of advancing to the round of 16 in Qatar. And Tunisia‘s coach Jalel Kadri is feeling the heat.

    “I’m not in Jalel’s position,” France coach Didier Deschamps said. “But they will go for broke.”

    Kadri said before the tournament it was his “personal mission” to advance past the group stage and hinted he would quit otherwise.

    The French are looking to match the ’98 team captained by Deschamps. But with Les Bleus already qualified, they only need a draw to guarantee top spot in Group D.

    Deschamps has the luxury of resting key players.

    “There will be changes,” he said. “Everyone’s ready to play.”

    He was evasive when asked if the prolific Kylian Mbappé insisted on playing or accepts he needs a breather.

    “Physically he’s fine,” Deschamps said. “Kylian doesn’t have a big ego, he’s important for us and makes the difference. But he’s always accepted what the team needs.”

    One option is to move Antoine Griezmann up from his new position in right midfield into a striker’s role alongside Olivier Giroud, who needs one more goal to become France’s all-time leading scorer with 52 goals.

    Deschamps hailed the unselfishness of Griezmann, a prolific forward himself with 42 goals and 26 assists for France.

    “He gets as much pleasure tackling someone as setting up a goal,” Deschamps said. “He’s always been like that. For him it’s not even been a sacrifice (in midfield).”

    The gulf between the sides looks vast.

    France has six goals in two games — three for Mbappé and two for Giroud — while Tunisia was blanked after drawing 0-0 with Denmark and fluffing chances in a 1-0 defeat against Australia.

    The Tunisians have never been past the group stage in five World Cups and their two wins were 40 years apart: against Mexico in 1978 and Panama four years ago in Russia.

    Despite good technical ability, there appears little cutting edge to this Tunisia side, despite the presence of attacking midfielders Wahbi Khazri — who scored twice at the last World Cup and has 24 international goals — and Naim Sliti.

    France, however, carries multiple attacking threats.

    Deschamps has always been a shrewd tactician, with deep layers of tactical knowledge gleaned from playing and coaching in Italy with Juventus.

    In Qatar he’s kept things more simple with a direct approach that has surprised opponents, using the wings as his main route to goal.

    It worked immediately, with the team scoring with three headers — a rarity for France — against Australia.

    The pace of Mbappé on the left and Ousmane Dembélé’s searing speed down the right, with the ideal marksman in Giroud benefitting from the crosses. If Dembélé comes off, then Deschamps can turn to Kingsley Coman — who scored Bayern Munich’s winner in the 2020 Champions League final.

    “Our wide players make the difference. Look at who they are!” central defender Raphael Varane said. “Going wide knocks our opponents off balance.”

    The French seem very relaxed at this World Cup, which hasn’t always been the case, notably when the squad went on strike at training at the 2010 World Cup.

    Midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni even started learning piano on Monday night, joining a group of wannabe musicians in the squad.

    “Hopefully if we win the World Cup we can put on a concert,” he joked.

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    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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