World Cup: Hits and misses
Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe have dazzled at the World Cup in Qatar, while Morocco caught the imagination of a continent on their run to the semi-finals.
Julian Alvarez Sport News
World Cup hits and misses
DOHA: Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe have dazzled at the World Cup in Qatar, while Morocco caught the imagination of a continent on their run to the semifinals. But the host nation flopped badly, Germany made a swift exit and Cristiano Ronaldo discovered he was no longer an automatic pick for Portugal. AFP Sport looks at the hits and misses from a month-long festival of football. Overachievers Morocco became the first African side and the first Arab team to reach the semifinals of a World Cup. And it was no fluke. Walid Regragui’s men, ranked 22nd in the world, beat Belgium and drew with Croatia on the way to topping their group before dumping 2010 champions Spain and Portugal out of the tournament. Roared on by tens of thousands of fans and supported across Africa and the Arab world, they came up short in the semifinals, losing 2-0 to France, but they have broken new ground. Japan shocked Germany and Spain to top their group before losing on penalties to Croatia in the round of 16. South Korea underlined the progress Asian football is making by beating Portugal to qualify from their group but came unstuck against Brazil in the first knockout round.
Scaloni tight-lipped on Argentina lineup ahead of World Cup final
DOHA: Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni kept his cards close to his chest when quizzed about his likely line-up as he prepares to face holders France in the World Cup final on Sunday (Dec 18).
Argentina v France sees Messi v Mbappe: Keys to the World Cup final
Argentina take on defending champions France on Sunday in the World Cup final.
France's probable starting line-up for World Cup final
DOHA : Didier Deschamps is likely to keep his usual starting XI for France's World Cup final against Argentina, although he could make one key change in central defence as the defending champions look to contain the threat posed by Lionel Messi at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday.
Argentina's probable lineup for World Cup final
Argentina look set to keep Julian Alvarez in attack for Sunday's World Cup final against France after he scored twice in a devastating combination with Lionel Messi in the semi-final.
Thousands flood Buenos Aires streets as Argentina reach World Cup final
BUENOS AIRES: Thousands of Argentines filled the streets of central Buenos Aires with blue-and-white banners on Tuesday (Dec 13) as they watched Lionel Messi lead their team to a 3-0 win over Croatia and a place in the World Cup final.
Messi and Alvarez fire Argentina past Croatia into World Cup final
DOHA: An inspired Lionel Messi scored from the penalty spot and Julian Alvarez struck twice as Argentina beat Croatia 3-0 on Tuesday (Dec 13) to reach their second World Cup final in eight years.