Will Mbappe and France thwart Messi’s World Cup dream?

At the end of a whirlwind four weeks which undoubtedly threw up more than a few surprises, it will be Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Kylian Mbappe’s France squaring up for the ultimate prize on Sunday evening in Qatar.Also listen: Is Messi Football’s GOAT, Better Than Pele, Maradona?Both nations are gunning for a third World Cup crown, with France, of course, clinching their second title in Russia four years ago, where they, in fact, eliminated Argentina in a high-scoring second round meeting. Outplayed by a 19-year-old Mbappe and Les Bleus that evening in Kazan, La Albiceleste have come a long way ever since Lionel Scaloni took over the coaching reins in November that very year.Their progress under the former wing back’s watch was confirmed last July when Argentina upset hosts Brazil to win the Copa America — their first major international trophy, barring the Olympics, in 28 years.Coming into the 2022 World Cup on the back of a 36-match unbeaten run, one short of matching Italy’s world record, they were dealt a rude shock in their opening game where they lost 2-1 to Saudi Arabia having taken a first-half lead. But if anything, the response to that setback has shown exactly what Scaloni’s men are made of as they bounced back to reach the final for the second time in the last three World Cups. Even as most neutrals would be cheering on Messi to finally get his hands on the trophy, in what we now know will be the last time we will witness his genius at a World Cup, it is definitely going to take something special to overcome the reigning champions.Morocco showed just why they had managed to go where no African side before them ever had, in reaching the semifinals, but despite a rousing performance which indeed gave France a few jitters, Deschamps’ men were clinical enough on the day and remain on course in their quest to join Italy and Brazil as the only nations to win successive World Cup titles. Mbappe coming up against Messi, his PSG teammate, with both forwards currently sharing top spot in the Golden Boot standings with 5 goals apiece, makes for a tantalizing sub plot. Could it be decisive in the final outcome? The Times of India’s Saumyajit Basu and Rohan Alvares address this question and discuss if it symbolically represents a passing of the torch moment on football’s grandest stage, as we count down to Sunday’s epic showdown. Audio production: Prateek Kapoor