Slowly but surely, we are now approaching the end of World Cup 2022, and there are two matches left to play in this year’s competition. While the first match is scheduled on Dec. 17 between Croatia and Morocco for the 3rd-4th place, the second and defining one will take place the day after between two finalists: France and Argentina.
Can the legendary Lionel Messi secure the Greatest of All Time title by adding another victorious chapter to a record of his career? Or will the France golden star Kylian Mbappe take him down in his way of becoming a two-time World Cup winner? No matter which side comes out on top in Sunday’s World Cup Final, they are both amongst the GGBET favorites to win the tournament and are both blessed with extremely talented nations.
Anyway, before making any predictions, we think it worth looking back at the record of Argentina and France in major championships. Thus, below is a full record of how many times they have faced, who has won more games, and more in football history. Without further delay, let’s get started!
When did France and Argentina Last Meet?
France and Argentina last met in the Round of 16 of World Cup 2018 in Russia. The match was a tightly fought meeting that ended in full time, with 4-3 on the scoreboard in favor of France. Of course, this lifts up everyone’s interest in terms of whether Leo Messi’s team will get their revenge against Kylian Mbappe’s France at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.
That said, the Argentina and French team looked different from the one we will see in the last World Cup’s tournament. The chances of Hugo Lloris, Oliver Giroud, Paulo Dybala, and Emiliano Martínez are the only four players to make the roster for both championships. The center-forward Karim Benzema’s France also featured in the Play-Offs that time, but he was ruled out of the 2022 contest with injury.
What is France’s record against Argentina?
The France national team has faced Argentina on 12 occasions in total and has the inferior record with three victories, three draws, and six defeats. Out of those 12 meetings, just four came in major championships. They have a 50% record at the World Cups, with Argentina having a superior record in 1978 and France becoming victorious in 2018.
As mentioned above, France beat Argentina 4-3 in the Round of 16 four years ago. And Sunday’s WC Final will be considered as revenge between Kylian Mbappe and Lio Messi. Mbappe scored twice and Messi recorded two assists in the time they last met each other.
Other Previous Meetings With Argentina
Argentina and France have met each other twelve times. Sunday’s game will be the 13th time that they both have head-to-head in men’s international football.
France 0-1 Argentina: World Cup 1930 Group Stage
Uruguay was the host of the World Cup in 1930. The chances of Argentina winning the entire championship were high. The Argentinian selection was blessed with a talented roster featuring Guillermo Stábile and Atlético Huracán, among others.
Albiceleste began the tournament with a 0-0 on the scoreboard in the first half against the team of France before recording a 1-0 win. But this match had an epic ending because of a mistake made by the Brazilian referee during the last six minutes before the end of the game.
Argentina 0-0 France: Brazil Independence Cup 1972
Argentina and France met for the second time in a major soccer tournament held in Brazil and were paired together in a group which also featured Africa and Colombia.
Argentina faced their challenging test against team France in the opening round of matches. The blues had a powerful roster which was managed by Juventus midfielder and 1984 European Championship winner Michel Platini.
The two sides began the event with a disappointing draw and were hoping for a victory to boost their chances of moving forward to the next stage of the championship. However, neither side managed to get used of this opportunity as the battle remained tied, with 0-0 in the end.
Argentina 2-1 France: World Cup 1978
Among their other meetings in major soccer was the 1978 edition of the World Cup championship. The team of France faced the opponent on Argentinian soil. Argentina ended their group phase in style against France and claimed a 2-0 victory courtesy of a single from Daniel Passarella and Leopoldo Luque, respectively.
Albiceleste went on to become World Cup champions for the first time in their soccer history. Meanwhile, the blues exited the championship in the group campaign.
