Last Updated on December 15, 2022 by
Argentina will face France in the World Cup final on Sunday, with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe cheering for their countries last month in Qatar.
So will this tournament be remembered as the ‘Messi World Cup’, with the Argentine lifting the trophy that has eluded him, or will Mbappe lead France to consecutive wins, following four years ago in Russia?
BBC Sport looks at six other players who have contributed to their country’s success over the years.
Contents
Pele, Brazil – 1958
Pele was just 17 years old when Brazil went to the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, looking to win the tournament for the first time. Left out of his country’s opening two matches, the striker enjoyed a 2-0 win over the Soviet Union and scored the only goal in a 1-0 win over Wales in the quarter-finals.
From then on, Pele was unstoppable. He scored a hat-trick in a 5-2 semi-final win over France and two more goals in a 5-2 win over Sweden in the final – including a superb effort when he curled the ball over a defender who had tried to make a noise. He had trouble reaching his knees and pulled out the net.
It was the first of three World Cup titles for Pele, although he only featured in the first two matches in 1962, before injury ruled him out. In 1970, however, he was at his best, scoring four times – including Brazil’s first goal in a thrilling 4-1 win over Italy.
Mario Kempes, Argentina – 1978
Argentina won the World Cup twice and, on both occasions, one player played a major part in their victory. In 1978, on home soil, it was Mario Kempes.
The Valencia player had gone to the tournament on the back of being the top scorer in La Liga for two consecutive seasons and was the only Argentinian player who did not play his football in this country.
Kempes failed to score in the first group stage, but in the second stage he shone with two goals in a 2-0 win over Poland, and the first and third in a 6-0 win over Peru.
This took Argentina to the final and Kempes scored a double, in a 3-1 win over the Netherlands in Buenos Aires, as he not only helped his country to their first success, but also became the tournament’s best player and best player. .
Paolo Rossi, Italy – 1982
Going to the 1982 World Cup in Spain, the Italian player Paolo Rossi had just returned to the game after a two-year ban to compete in Serie A, the national manager Enzo Bearzot was criticized in the Italian media for his choice. he.
But after a poor start, the striker shone against Brazil with an impressive hat-trick in a game Italy needed to win to reach the semi-finals. He followed that up with both goals in a 2-0 semi-final win over Poland, then scored Italy’s first goal in a 3-1 final win over West Germany.
Rossi’s six goals saw him win the Ballon d’Or as top scorer and the Ballon d’Or for player of the tournament.
Diego Maradona, Argentina – 1986
Captain Diego Maradona led by example in 1986 when he helped Argentina win their second World Cup in Mexico. The first goal came against Italy in a 1-1 draw to help Argentina win the group.
In the quarter-finals, he scored twice to defeat England 2-1. The first was the infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal – when Maradona hit the ball past Peter Shilton – but the second is considered one of the best World Cup strikes of all time, as he picked the ball up inside his half, before. unleashing a stunning, weaving run through the England defense and beating Shilton.
He followed this up with two more impressive goals in a 2-0 semi-final win over Belgium, and later assisted in a dramatic 3-2 win over West Germany.
With five goals and five assists to his name, Maradona was a runaway winner of the Ballon d’Or for being the tournament’s best player.
Zinedine Zidane, France – 1998
The professional player, Zinedine Zidane was the boxer for France 1998 World Cup, which they hosted.
He got off to a great start by helping his country score the first goal of the tournament, scored by Christophe Dugarry in a 3-0 win over South Africa.
Zidane then helped when they took the lead against Saudi Arabia, but they ended up losing 4-0 and missed France’s third group game with Denmark, as well as Paraguay’s 1-0 victory in the final. .
But he returned to form, scoring a penalty to see Italy out of the quarter-finals and then helping his side beat Croatia 2-1 in the semi-finals.
In the end, Zidane scored two goals in Brazil’s 3-0 win, and his performances earned him a place in the team of the tournament. Two years later, he was named the best player at Euro 2000, which France won again.
Ronaldo, Brazil – 2002
The 1998 final was expected to be a big moment for the Brazilian player Ronaldo. However, he suffered a seizure before the match and was not named in the line-up – only to start, but failed to impress in the 3-0 defeat by France.
A serious knee injury in 1999 threatened to end his career, but what followed was one of football’s greatest comeback stories. In the 2002 tournament in South Korea and Japan, Ronaldo was sensational as he put his nightmare four years earlier behind him, with eight goals in seven games.
He scored four goals in three group games – one in a 2-1 win over Turkey, one in a 4-0 win over China and two in an easy 5-2 win over Costa Rica. Then came one in a 2-0 last-16 win over Belgium, the only goal in a 1-0 semi-final win over Turkey and both in a 2-0 win over Germany in the final.
Ronaldo ended up being the top scorer and no player has scored more in the World Cup since, although Messi and Mbappe remain in contention to do so this year.
Get the latest results and goal announcements for any team at the FIFA World Cup by downloading the BBC Sport app: Appleexternal-link – Androidexternal-link – Amazonexternal-link
Get your daily FIFA World Cup action, debate & amp; analysis by World Cup Daily on BBC Sounds
As of December 14, Kylian Mbappé of France and Lionel Messi of Argentina led the race for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot, with five goals each.
Which all teams are in semi final?
France, Croatia, Argentina, and Morocco are the four teams that will play in the semi-finals. FIFA World Cup 2022 has so far seen some exciting matches as it has been a roller-coaster ride for many teams.
Which teams are in the semi-finals World Cup 2022? Watch the highlights from the match between France and Morocco played at Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor on Wednesday, 14 December 2022.
Who won football semi final 2022?
FIFA World Cup 2022 semi-finals: France beat Morocco 2-0 to reach the finals.
Who won FIFA semi final today?
France beat Morocco 2-0 and have reached their second consecutive FIFA World Cup final. It will defend its title against Argentina on Sunday in Lusail Stadium.
Who won semi final FIFA 2022?
France vs Morocco Live Score Updates: FRA vs MAR highlights as the defending champion defeated Atlas Lions 2-0. FIFA World Cup 2022 Semi Final, France vs Morocco Highlights: Defending champions France beat Morocco 2-0 to set up a final against Argentina in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Who qualified for semi final World Cup 2022?
France defeated Morocco 2-0 in the semi-finals to qualify for the final of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, at the Al Bayt Stadium on Thursday. It became the first team to play consecutive finals since Brazil in 2002 and will play against Argentina in the Khalifa Stadium on December 18, 2022.
Is Argentina qualified for final?
Argentina beat Croatia 3-0 on Tuesday to advance to the finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Argentina were awarded a penalty after Julian Alvarez was brought down by Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic at the Lusail Stadium in Al Daayen.
Who is still in the finals of the World Cup 2022? Argentina will face France in the final of the 2022 World Cup on December 18. This is the biggest game in world football and the winning team will get the highest prize of the game. Here are five things to know about the game and predict how it will end.
Is Argentina out of the World Cup 2022?
Lionel Messi’s Argentina booked their place in the final of the 2022 World Cup after defeating Croatia.
Who qualified for final FIFA 2022?
France reached the final of the FIFA World Cup 2022 for the fourth time in the last seven tournaments of the competition with a 2-0 victory over Morocco in the final match, at the Al Bayt Stadium in Qatar.
Who will qualify for FIFA 2022?
| Netherlands | Switzerland |
|---|---|
| England | South Korea |
| DO NOT | Brazil |
| Senegal | Portugal |
| Argentina | Croatia (FIFA Finalist 2018 Russia) |
Which teams are qualified for semi final 2022?
Croatia, Argentina, Morocco and France qualified for the first semi-final of the FIFA World Cup 2022. Get the schedule and live streaming information here. The FIFA World Cup 2022 semi-final stage begins on Wednesday, December 14 (according to IST), Lionel Messi led Argentina against Croatia in the first match.
How many cities are represented in the 2022 2023 Champions League?
| Assoc. | Team | Coeff. |
|---|---|---|
| EL | Eintracht Frankfurt | 61.000 |
| 1 | Manchester City | 134.000 |
| 3 | Milan | 38.000 |
| 4 | Bayern Munich | 138.000 |
WHO teams qualified in 2022 in World Cup?
The final of the FIFA World Cup will be held on December 18, Sunday, 2022. Which teams made it to the semi-finals of this World Cup? The four qualified teams are Morocco, France, Argentina, and Croatia.
Who is leading the Golden Boot Race 2022?
1Lionel Messi | Argentina | 5 goals Messi scored his 10th World Cup final goal with an ice-cold penalty against the Netherlands to put his team 2-0 up in the quarter-finals.
.
Who is the number 1 FIFA player?
Robert Lewandowski (1st =): Arguably the subject of the summer’s biggest transfer, Lewandowski can call himself the best player in FIFA.
Who is not the best player in FIFA? Robert Lewandowski The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2020 scored 41 league goals – a record for a Bundesliga season â as his club won the title again, adding to the FIFA Club World Cup win. He qualified for Poland, scoring three goals in three matches at UEFA EURO 2020.
Who is the number 1 FIFA player in the world?
FOX Sports soccer analyst and former USMNT player Stu Holden is counting down the top 50 players taking part in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Next is the â¦
Who is the number one FIFA player in the world?
| Ranking | Player Name | Team/Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi | PSG & Argentina |
| 2 | Robert Lewandowski | Barcelona & Poland |
| 3 | Kylian Mbappe | PSG & France |
| 4 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal |
Who is the No 1 player in football now?
1. Lionel Messi. Who else? Lionel Messi is the best player of his generation.
Who is the No 1 player in football now?
1. Lionel Messi. Who else? Lionel Messi is the best player of his generation.
Who is the number 1 FIFA 22 player?
Check them out in the list below along with other official FIFA 22 ratings so far: Lionel Messi â 93. Robert Lewandowski â 92. Cristiano Ronaldo â 91.
Which teams are still to qualified for World Cup 2022?
| Team | Friendship | The day is right |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark | UEFA | October 12, 2021 |
| Brazil | CONMEBOL | November 11, 2021 |
| Belgium | UEFA | November 13, 2021 |
| France | UEFA | November 13, 2021 |
WHO are the successful teams in 2022 in the World Cup? Which teams have reached the quarter finals of the World Cup 2022? England, France, Netherlands, Argentina, Croatia, Brazil, Morocco and Portugal have qualified for the World Cup quarter-finals.
Which teams are still in the World Cup 2022?
FIFA World Cup Power Rankings: Breaking down the remaining eight…
- FRANCE. Knockout stage method: First place in Group D. …
- BRAZIL. Knockout stage method: First place in Group G. …
- PORTUGAL. Knockout stage method: First place in Group H. …
- ENGLAND. …
- NETHERLANDS. …
- ARGENTINA. …
- MOROCCO. …
- CROATIA.
What are the 13 teams qualified for World Cup 2022?
The Netherlands, Senegal, England, USA, France, Australia, Argentina, Poland, Morocco, Croatia, Japan, Spain, Brazil, Switzerland, South Korea and Portugal have qualified for the 16th round of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar.