FIFA World Cup 2022: France v Argentina - Leading stats of the finalists
France and Argentina will battle it out in the World Cup final on Sunday 18 December. As the big game approaches, discover the statistics behind both their campaigns so far including attempts on goal, yellow cards, clean sheets and more.
Football
The final of the FIFA World Cup 2022 has arrived.
The thrilling football tournament packed with broken records, upsets and surprises will end with title holders France facing off against Argentina on Sunday 18 December at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar.
Argentina booked their place in the final by defeating 2018 runners-up Croatia 3-0 with goals from Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez.
France followed with a 2-0 victory over first-time semi-finalists Morocco with Theo Hernandez and Randal Kolo Muani both getting on the scoresheet for Les Bleus.
The highly anticipated final will see Messi, one of the greats of the game, go up against one of the freshest talents on the scene, Kylian Mbappe.
If the prospect of the two going head-to-head wasn't enough to whet the appetite then the small fact both are tied for the top spot in the race for the Golden Boot with five goals each brings another delicious twist in the final tale.
As the world waits to see which nation will be victorious in Qatar find out the key statistics behind the top two remainng teams.
France at FIFA World Cup 2022
Reigning champions France will bid to become the first team in 60 years to win back-to-back titles when they go up against Argentina on Sunday.
Les Bleus booked their place in the final after vanquishing surprise package Morocco 2-0, the first team in history from Africa to reach a FIFA World Cup semi-final.
Hernandez and substitute Muani both got on to the scoresheet with Mbappe and play-maker Antoine Griezmann both heavily involved in the build up to both goals.
With Argentina, now in-wait, here are the key numbers so far for France:
- Matches played: 6
- Red cards: 0
- Yellow cards: 5
- Goals: 13
- Goals conceded: 5
- Clean sheets: 1
- Attempts on goal: 91
- Attempts on target: 30
- Most goals: Kylian Mbappe (5)
- Most attempts on goal: Kylian Mbappe (25)
- Most assists: Antoine Griezmann (3)
- Most passes: Aurelien Tchouameni (399)
- Overall passes: 3140 (2773 completed)
- Most crosses: Antoine Griezmann (37)
- Most distance covered: Aurelien Tchouameni (63.4km)
Argentina at World Cup 2022
Lionel Messi's anticipated World Cup swan song will reach its grand conclusion in the final after Argentina cruised past Croatia 3-0 in the first semi-final on Monday (13 December).
The South American side took an early lead in the clash after a penalty goal from Messi.
Two subsequent goals from Alvarez, his second following a masterful run from Messi, left Croatia will too much to claw back and with the blow of the final whistle the Albiceleste were through to their sixth World Cup final.
Ahead of the final showdown in Qatar, here are the Argentine stats you need to know:
- Matches played: 6
- Red cards: 0
- Yellow cards: 12
- Goals: 12
- Goals conceded: 5
- Clean sheets: 3
- Attempts on goal: 83
- Attempts on target: 39
- Most goals: Lionel Messi (5)
- Most attempts on goal: Lionel Messi (27)
- Most assists: Lionel Messi (3)
- Most passes: Rodrigo de Paul (476)
- Overall passes: 3727 (3297 completed)
- Most crosses: Angel di Maria (24)
- Most distance covered: Rodrigo de Paul (61.03km)