Further reading
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Let’s end it here. I need a lie down after that. A seven-goal thriller’s not a bad way to start the knockout stages. Unless you’re Argentinian, of course. You won’t be happy if you’re Argentinian because your team’s out of the World Cup. But you’ll be happy if you’re French. If you’re French you’ll be very looking forward to a quarter-final against Uruguay or Portugal and very excited about teenage superstar Kylian Mbappe, who could be about to take this World Cup by storm. Thank’s for reading and emailing. I’ll leave you with Jonathan Wilson’s match report from Kazan. Bye.
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Underrated moment of the World Cup: Nicolas Otamendi starting a mass brawl when Argentina had two minutes to find an equaliser in stoppage time.
Next for France: a quarter-final against Portugal or Uruguay. Those two kick off at 7pm BST.
That was an extraordinary match. France started so well and won a penalty when Marcos Rojo’s foul on the electric Kylian Mbappe allowed Antoine Griezmann to score from the spot. But back came Argentina, equalising just before half-time when Angel Di Maria scored a blinder and taking the lead when Gabriel Mercado turned Lionel Messi’s shot past Hugo Lloris shortly after the interval. France were under huge pressure. The obituaries for Didier Deschamps were being prepared at that point. Yet Les Bleus summoned the perfect response. They stayed cool. Paul Pogba drove them on in midfield and Benjamin Pavard’s excellent equaliser provided Mbappe with the platform to do his thing. Sergio Aguero’s header set up a frantic finale, but France were worthy winners. They’ve flushed a lot of lethargy out of their system today. This was just what they needed. After all the doubts, they’ve finally shown why they’re one of the tournament favourites.
Have we just seen Lionel Messi’s last ever World Cup game? It’s baffling to think that he’s never scored a goal in a knockout game. It will be understandable if he decides to call time on his international career. Argentina are a mess.
Lionel Messi stares into the middle distance. Argentina’s captain looks fed up. It wasn’t to be. Another World Cup ends for the little magician and it now seems extremely unlikely that he’ll ever win this trophy. His genius simply wasn’t enough to lift this mediocre team. It’s a team sport and France had the superior collective, enabling Kylian Mbappe to run riot and announce himself on the world stage.
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Full-time: France 4-3 Argentina
Peep! Peep! Peep! It’s all over!
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90 min+5: Giroud tries to take the ball to the corner flag. Argentina end up with a goal-kick. One last chance. A huge roar from the Argentina fans. Argentina attack. The ball’s played into the middle by Di Maria, finding Aguero. He plays it to the left. The ball’s driven into the middle but it’s deflected wide by Meza (I think)! France escape!
90 min+4: A mass brawl’s broken out after Mercado fouls Pogba. Lots of pushing and shoving. Otamendi’s booked. So’s Giroud.
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Messi pops up on the right. He looks up and curls a beautiful cross into the middle with his left foot. The ball floats through to the unmarked Aguero, who plants a low header past Lloris! What an assist from Messi.
GOAL! France 4-3 Argentina (Aguero, 90 min+3)
It’s not over yet!
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90 min+1: There will be four added minutes. Mercado is starting to lose his cool. He berates the linesman after a decision goes against him. Di Maria also puts his head near the official’s face. Oh dear. “Where is Maradona-Cam now?” Peter Oh says.
90 min: Di Maria wins a corner on the right. He sends it to the near post. It comes back to him off Tagliafico and he’s offside.
88 min: Tuxedo model Florian Thauvin replaces the magnificent Kylian Mbappe, who could be about to take this World Cup by the scruff of the neck.
87 min: Di Maria swings a cross behind. Colin Livingstone nods smugly. “Bit unfair of the referee,” Adam Roberts says. “Mascherano clearly wants to end his WC career with a red card.”
86 min: Messi plays a clever pass through to Aguero, but the striker’s shot is blocked by Varane.
85 min: Fekir loses the ball in midfield, Mascherano touching it Messi, who finally has space. Messi scampers forward and beats Umtiti. He’s through on goal, but he’s falling as he shoots and sends a tame effort straight at Lloris with his right foot.
83 min: Mascherano raps Griezmann’s shins. Again, no second booking for Argentina’s veteran hatchet man. Griezmann’s not too bothered, though. He knows this is done as he makes way for Nabil Fekir.
82 min: Would you like a stat? 19-year-old Kylian Mbappe is the youngest player to score twice in a knockout match since 17-year-old Pele did it at the 1958 World Cup.
80 min: Messi skips past Kante and plays it out to Meza on the right. Meza’s cross is a waste of time.
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78 min: “Meza?” Zafar Sobhan says. “Again?? No Dybala, no Higuain?”
77 min: Pavard runs down the right. Mascherano, on a booking, fouls him. That’s your last one, Mr Manager.
76 min: What recent World Cups have lacked are memorable knockout games. This is a promising start in that regard.
75 min: Corentin Tolisso replaces Blaise Matuidi for France, while Argentina bring on Maxi Meza for the flimsy Cristian Pavon.
74 min: Kylian Mbappe, though!
72 min: Matuidi picks up a booking, meaning he’ll be suspended if France reach the last eight. Moments later Pavard clatters into Di Maria near the byline. He’s booked.
71 min: You have to admire the response from France. They could easily have collapsed after going behind. Instead they hit back immediately and have seized control of the match in the blink of an eye, Mbappe too much for Argentina to contain. This could be the turning point for Didier Deschamps.
70 min: France are threatening to run riot. Pogba charges forward and finds Giroud, who takes a touch before lashing a shot into the side netting. Argentina are done. They’ve run out of steam. This is surely too great a mountain to climb, even for Messi.
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France saunter through the middle, easily passing their way round the Argentina midfielders. The ball’s worked to Giroud, who has space in front of the Argentina defence and Mbappe unmarked to his right. Giroud’s pass is perfect. Mbappe doesn’t have to break stride. He simply has to run on to the ball and fire it into the bottom-right corner! He’s only 19!
GOAL! France 4-2 Argentina (Mbappe, 68 min)
Mbappe has his second! This is surely over now!
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68 min: It was fine skill from Mbappe to make space for the shot, such quick thinking and movement, but Armani should have saved it.
66 min: Messi, determined to inject some urgency back into Argentina’s play, dribbles through the middle and wins a free-kick when Griezmann trips him. Before the free-kick can be taken Sergio Aguero replaces Enzo Perez. Messi eventually takes the free-kick. It’s blocked and comes back to him. He shoots. It’s blocked.
Pogba plays a pass out to Hernandez on the left. Nobody deals with the left-back’s cross. Matuidi sees a shot blocked and the ball falls to Mbappe. He takes it in his stride, jigs to the left and drives a low shot underneath Armani to restore France’s lead! Argentina can’t defend. They’ve gone from deflation to elation and back to deflation again.
GOAL! France 3-2 Argentina (Mbappe, 64 min)
France are in front thanks to their whizzkid!
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61 min: Kieran Trippier will probably do something similar against Colombia.
60 min: Both right-backs have scored. Imagine that. That was quite similar to Nacho’s goal against Portugal.
France attack down the left, Hernandez embarking on a strong run down the left, Matuidi releasing him. The cross evades everyone in the middle but it reaches Pavard, 20 yards out. The right-back’s never scored for France before. But he lets the ball bounce and, although it sits up awkwardly, he shows wonderful technique and composure to control a swerving, vicious drive into the far corner with his right foot! Out of nothing, France are level! What a second half we have on our hands now.
GOAL! France 2-2 Argentina (Pavard, 57 min)
France are level thanks to another stunner!
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56 min: Giroud flicks a harmless ball into the area. Fazio reverts to his Tottenham days and decides to usher it back to Armani. Er, Griezmann’s there! The France striker nips it round the goalkeeper, who seems to tug him back and muscle Griezmann away before he can tap it into an empty net! What a farce! A replay shows Armani is very fortunate not to have conceded a penalty. Instead, despite Fazio’s brainless play, Argentina have a goal-kick.
55 min: Argentina’s inspiration, Colin Livingstone, returns. “Very funny turn of events with Di Maria there. However the point stands. Being generally rubbish and popping up with the odd worldy just makes you Charlie Adam. Who’d have an outside chance only of making the France starting eleven. Super game now though, great to watch.”
It’s the commentator’s curse, Colin. Can’t be helped. Welcome to the club.
54 min: Mbappe’s free-kick is dangerous. Otamendi heads it away to Di Maria, who lures Griezmann into fouling him on the edge of the Argentina area.
53 min: Perez brings down Kante on the left. Mbappe will take the free-kick.
52 min: Pogba tries to stand a ball through for Griezmann, but it’s too straight and Armani can usher it behind.
51 min: It was Mercado, of course, who put in the cross for Rojo’s winner against Nigeria. The right-back’s having quite the tournament.
50 min: Mbappe sets off on a turbo charge. Di Maria has a nibble. Mbappe falls and Banega slides in with a heavy, ugly challenge, earning a booking.
Banega stands over the free-kick on the left. He clips it into the middle and it’s cleared by Pogba. The ball drops to Messi on the right. He swivels and turns back on to his left foot, making space for a shot. It isn’t a great effort. It’s probably going straight at Lloris - until it hits the unwitting Mercado and goes past the helpless France goalkeeper!
GOAL! France 1-2 Argentina (Mercado, 48 min)
Argentina have turned it around!
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47 min: Di Maria, Argentina’s unlikely first-half hero, runs at Pavard on the left. He twists this way and that, all neat footwork, and Pavard pulls him down deep on the left. Argentina could be in business if Di Maria’s going to start playing well.
46 min: Argentina get the second half underway. They’ve made a change, Roma’s Federico Fazio replacing the hapless Marcos Rojo in central defence. “Nice stadiums over there, but note to architects don’t design a stadium that has a strip of sunlight running down the centre of the pitch,” Roger Kirby says. “Both goalkeepers have had it in the middle of the goal for the first half. Can’t they pull down some blinds?”
Half-time reading
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Half-time emails
“Whose idea was it to put Messi in the false 9 role; Messi or Sampaoli?” Billy Graboso says. “Either way it’s a bad idea as he simply does not have the work-rate from 2012. Of course as I type this email Di Maria stopped being anonymous. So who knows, maybe Messi comes up with some magic.”
“Presumably France thought it was Colin Livingstone because they made no attempt to close him down,” Niall Mullen parps.
“I take back anything I said about Di Maria!” Matt says.
“I’m grateful France/Argentina were paired against each other because I can’t take both of these teams in the tournament,” C Noyes says. “They are both so infuriating. What formation are Argentina playing? They have almost no threat at all going forward. But what does France do? Leave Angel di Maria unmarked 25 yards from goal with five French defenders standing 5 yards off. Why? Inexplicable. Good riddance to one of these teams today.”
Half-time: France 1-1 Argentina
Peep! Peep! The whistle blows and the Argentina fans keep singing. It’s been a difficult half for their team, but they’re happy now! France started superbly, taking the lead through Antoine Griezmann’s penalty, and for a while it seemed that they were going to destroy Argentina. Then Colin Livingstone Angel Di Maria scored one of the goals of the tournament. The second half is going to be something else.
#WorldCup Football Daily is back later, with @maxrushden, @bglendenning, @marc_cart, @PhilippeAuclair, @EliotRothwell + @TroelsHenriksen. Any questions?
— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) June 30, 2018
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45 min+1: There will be two added minutes. “I take back all my cursing of Di Maria!” Mike Mackenzie says. “Talk about a timely perfect strike for a goal.”
45 min: Pogba charges down the right. He’s closed down by Mascherano and Tagliafico, who’s brought down by Pogba. The delay gives us a chance to see the Di Maria goal again. France’s midfielders will regret not closing him down.
43 min: Mascherano finally gets his booking after catching Kante. “Was that Colin Livingstone who just scored? John Pitre says.
Messi’s corner is glanced away by Pavard, the ball heading off for a throw on the left. Argentina get going again and stroke the ball around for bit. Then they move it inside to Di Maria. He takes a touch, looks up and then he whips a spectacular left-footed shot to Lloris’s left and into the top corner! What a goal! That’s Argentina’s first shot on target! Diego Maradona punches the air and celebrates in his seat, the fans go wild and Di Maria’s mobbed by his jubilant team-mates! He’d been so poor.
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GOAL! France 1-1 Argentina (Di Maria, 41 min)
What a goal!
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40 min: Messi wins a corner off the tireless Kante.
38 min: Messi slides a pass down the right to Pavon, who pulls the ball back into the area. It’s an easy clearance for Pavard, though. “Sampaoli can’t change tactics until half-time as he needs to get permission from Messi and Mascherano,” Ewan Aitchison says.
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37 min: Di Maria clips a pass to Messi, who takes the ball in his stride before going down in the area. That was a tangle of legs with the covering Griezmann. The Argentina fans roar for a penalty. The referee shakes his head.
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35 min: A few meaty challenges go in. Kante’s sent flying by Mercado. Play continues and Giroud catches Otamendi, who rolls off towards the corner flag in apparent agony. Giroud’s also down. Medic! “I’m 55, unfit and rubbish at football and yet could play wide for Argentina in place of Di Maria and they wouldn’t be noticeably worse off,” Colin Livingstone says. “Whatever happened to the player that lit up European football just a few years ago.”
34 min: “Messi is playing in midfield so far,” Andy Gordon says. “This is the worst choice of a midfield tactic since Manuel Neuer.”
32 min: This system isn’t working for Argentina. France are so comfortable. Argentina need to get Aguero or Higuain on. France’s centre-backs are being shielded by Matuidi, Kante and Pogba. Messi has nobody to pass to whenever he drops deep and looks up.
31 min: Griezmann sends Pogba powering through the middle. Where’s the Argentina midfield? Oh well. Pogba moves it to Mbappe, who tries to befuddle Tagliafico. The left-back stands up to him well this time.
27 min: Pavon dinks a clever ball over Hernandez, who’s dozed off, allowing Mercado to race into the area. Mercado tries to dink a ball into the middle. The ball brushes Umtiti’s arm and rolls harmlessly past the far post. Argentina scream for a penalty, but the referee isn’t interested. They don’t even get a corner. There’s no VAR check.
26 min: Argentina have had 69% possession. They aren’t doing much with it. Messi is going very deep and Pavon and Di Maria aren’t in the game. There’s barely anything for France’s defenders to think about. All the meaningful action is taking place up the other end. Now Griezmann, the goalscorer, wriggles past Rojo, who tries and fails to bring him down. Griezmann slips a pass into the middle but Armani claims it.
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25 min: Perez fends off Umtiti, who goes down, and springs into the France area. Lloris charges out to smother. Umtiti gets back to his feet.
24 min: Mbappe is having a blinder. All Argentina can do is kick him.
23 min: Banega’s deep corner is headed away. Argentina haven’t created a chance yet. You wonder if they’ll ever turn to Dybala.
22 min: Banega’s shot from 25 yards takes a deflection and spins over for an Argentina corner.
21 min: Another chat between Pogba and Griezmann. Griezmann took the last one. This one looks made for Pogba as it’s slightly to the left. Griezmann leaves it to him. Pogba belts a dismal effort miles over. Argentina breathe a sigh of relief.
19 min: A long, raking pass from Pogba sends Mbappe hurtling behind the Argentina defence again. He brings the ball down with Messi-esque control and Tagliafico trips him on the edge of the area! The left-back’s booked. No penalty this time, but France have a free-kick in the D. Argentina are all over the show and they could be about to fall further behind.
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17 min: Mascherano sprays a pass out to the left. Di Maria’s poor header goes to Pavard, infuriating the Argentina fans, but Tagliafico’s hustle forces the France right-back to concede a corner. It comes to nothing, though. Di Maria is having another shocker.
16 min: What are Argentina made of now? This situation will suit France. Argentina have to come at them and we’ve already seen that they can’t handle the pace of Mbappe.
15 min: That was a stupendous run from Mbappe, although it must be pointed out he was veering slightly away from goal when Rojo decided to foul him. Brainless defending. There’s a chance Mbappe had taken himself wide with a heavy touch.
GOAL! France 1-0 Argentina (Griezmann, 13 min)
Griezmann waits for Armani to dive to his left. When he does, he rolls the ball down the middle with his left foot. Cool as you like. What a start for France! How about Mbappe, though
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12 min: A quick VAR check confirms that Rojo bundled Mbappe over, the foul starting just outside the area and continuing inside it. Griezmann will take the penalty.
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PENALTY TO FRANCE!
11 min: This is spectacular from Kylian Mbappe! Argentina lose the ball near France’s area, Banega and Tagliafico getting themselves in a muddle. Mbappe picks up the loose ball and embarks on a power surge. He’s so fast! There’s no catching him! Argentina’s snails are left trailing in his wake and the danger’s clear as he approaches the area. He tears to the right, away from Rojo, who desperately brings him down! Penalty! Booking! No doubt about it! That was the teenager’s Michael Owen moment!
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9 min: Pogba takes a few steps back, which makes it look like he’s going to take the free-kick. But then Griezmann winds up and whips a delicious effort over the Argentina wall with his left foot. The ball curls and dips and Armani can only watch it fly to his left - and twang against the face of the bar! The ball bounces to safety and Argentina survive! That was a brilliant effort from Griezmann.
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7 min: Mbappe picks up a loose ball in the middle of Argentina’s half. He turns smartly and speeds towards the area. He’s too quick. Mascherano slides in to bring him down 25 yards out. Here’s a chance for France. Pogba and Griezmann are having a chat.
5 min: France attack. Argentina’s fans whistle. Giroud lays the ball off to Mbappe and falls as Rojo goes through the back of him. Play continues and Otamendi steps in to dispossess Mbappe. Argentina counter and the ball’s played down the left for Di Maria, who had a stinker the other night. He’s one-on-one with Varane, but he chooses to cross and sends the ball sailing out of play.
4 min: Messi gets back to his feet, which is just as well from Argentina’s perspective. They have a free-kick on the right. Banega puts the ball down and the big men trot forward from the back. Nothing happens, though.
3 min: Pogba wins the ball in midfield, gives it away and chops down Banega. Moments later Matuidi clatters into Messi. Mascherano has a strong word with the referee.
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2 min: Argentina are seeing plenty of the ball early on. It’s France who’ve dropped back.
Peep! France kick off from left to right. They’re in dark blue shirts and white shorts. Argentina are in their light blue and white stripes. France immediately launch the ball long and Giroud gives away a free-kick.
France go first with their atmospheric tune. Then it’s Argentina’s turn. Their fans relish the chance to bellow their country’s anthem. A small smile flickers across Messi’s face as he hears the roar. “I’m pretty certain Maradona’s eyes will roll back to the very recesses of his skull and stay there when he reads your spooky Messi knockout game goal drought stat,” Peter Oh says.
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Here come the teams! It’s hot and sunny in Kazan. Plenty of blue and white stripes in the stands. Plenty of talent on the pitch. It’s Argentina! It’s France! It’s the first knockout round of the 2018 World Cup! But first, the anthems.
“Am I the only one who thinks a midfield with Mascherano in it is going to get destroyed by this young French team?” wonders Paul Fitzgerald. “Has everyone forgotten Croatia, Spain or any other decent team Argentina have up come against. Messi can only do so much, and receiving 3 foot passes in the middle of the park isn’t going to cut it.”
It could happen, Paul. The doubt is because France haven’t played well yet. I can see them winning handily if they click. So far, though, they’ve been stodgy and bland. Argentina have a bit of soul. It’s illogical. There’s no reason to think they’re good enough - ok, Messi’s a reason - but this is knockout football and knockout football can be weird. If France don’t show personality, Argentina could take advantage.
“Except for a moment of madness by Umtiti, the French defence has been rock solid so far,” Kari Tulinius says. “Varane has been especially impressive, bringing his Real Madrid form the national team. Of course, being screened by Kante has its advantages. If the attack keeps not clicking, the defense might still let them 1-0 their way to the final. Mind you, potential quarterfinal opponents Uruguay have been equally impressive defensively.”
True - they are very strong at the back. However they haven’t faced a strong attack yet. Australia were one of the weakest teams in the tournament, Peru lacked a cutting edge and Denmark were happy with 0-0.
Looking like an Argentina home game, more or less, in Kazan. The South American fans have absolutely owned this World Cup.
— Nick Ames (@NickAmes82) June 30, 2018
“Seems like most people are looking forward to a Argentina-Portugal showdown,” Paulina B says. “So am I, with the exception of Messi getting booked this game and Ronaldo later tonight, leading to the game everyone wants but without the two reasons they want it. Hilarious.”
Paulina! How could you even think that!
“The venerable France Football is reporting (under the French equivalent to Oof - What A Scorcher) that it’s very hot in Kazan,” Charles Antaki says. “Now that’s proper coverage. For shame, Guardian!”
It’s also very hot where I am - east London.
An email! “You left one more possibility out for Argentina,” says Aravindh Balasubramanian. “Final against the greatest national team, England.”
Imagine Diego Maradona. He’d demand to play. In fact he’d probably get the winner after a VAR debacle.
An Argentina win sets up the possibility of:
- A Messi v Ronaldo quarter-final breaking the internet
- A quarter-final with Luis Suarez’s Uruguay (a repeat of the 1930 final!)
- A semi-final against
Neymar’sCoutinho’s Brazil (imagine the emotion!)
You want stats? I’ll give you stats! Did you know that Lionel Messi has gone 666 minutes without a goal in the knockout stage of the World Cup? Spooky. Argentina are likely to need Messi to end his barren today. Although at least they’ll be heartened to hear that Olivier Giroud is also struggling in front of goal. The France striker is yet to register a shot on target in Russia.
These two teams don’t have much of a World Cup rivalry. They’ve only met twice before on the biggest stage, with Argentina victorious both times. Their first meeting came in the first round of the 1930 World Cup, with Luis Monti sealing a 1-0 win for Argentina, who also beat France 2-1 as hosts in 1978, Michel Platini’s goal not enough for Les Bleus to advance to the second round. That’s your lot. Games between Argentina and France are rare. In total they’ve only met 11 times. There have been six wins for Argentina, two for France and three draws.
Pre-match reading
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France are back to full strength after resting players against Denmark. It’s the same 11 that beat Peru 1-0, with the steel of Blaise Matuidi preferred to the skill of Ousmane Dembele.
Argentina make one change to the team that beat Nigeria. Out goes Gonzalo Higuain, in comes Cristian Pavon. It’s a big call from manager Javier Mascherano, who has named co-manager Lionel Messi as a False Nine.
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Team news
France: Lloris; Pavard, Umtiti, Varane, Hernandez; Kante, Pogba; Mbappe, Griezmann, Matuidi; Giroud.
Argentina: Armani; Mercado, Otamendi, Rojo, Tagliafico; Mascherano, Perez, Banega; Pavon, Messi, Di Maria.
Referee: Alireza Faghani (Iran).
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Preamble
A strange game to work out, this one. It’s a collision between the rickety force and the meandering object; fiery, furious flappers against bores with enough bite to draw blood; bronca versus beige. It’s a meeting between a team who have subjected themselves, their fans and the rest of us to an emotional rollercoaster, all in the space of 10 nerve-shredding days, and one searching for a plan. On the one hand we have the genius of Lionel Messi propping up the least impressive Argentina side in living memory. On the other we have an odd France team whose featureless football threatens to cancel out their frightening depth and array of talent. Trying to make sense all feels like a futile task.
Your guess is as good as mine, although the feeling at the moment is that France have the edge before the first second-round tie of Russia 2018. They’re the more settled team, they cruised through their group and the sense is that they have far more ways of winning than Argentina. They have Paul Pogba, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe and, er, Olivier Giroud. They can unleash Ousmane Dembele, Nabil Fekir, Thomas Lemar and Florian Thauvin if needs be and on paper they possess enviable balance, with the magnificent N’Golo Kante screening a solid defence. Yet is there a more frustrating team left in the tournament? Unlikely. All that firepower and France have managed three goals in three matches. They laboured against Australia and Peru, were booed off after a grim 0-0 draw with Denmark and have more than a whiff of England 2006 about them. That’s a big accusation to level at anyone. But unless France find a way to conjure some Gallic flair soon, neutrals will start to wish ill on them. Time for the monotone Didier Deschamps to lift the handbrake.
And if that happens, then Argentina could be in trouble here. The south Americans are, after all, still a bit of a shambles. Their manager, Jorge Sampaoli, has been stripped of any influence over the team, their defence is a mess, the midfield isn’t much better and they were on the verge of going out in the first round before Marcos Rojo pulled back his right foot against Nigeria on Tuesday night. They are thrilling and terrible all at once, a mass of contradictions and exhausting to watch, magnetic in their madness and captivating in their chaos. Nothing summed this absurd team up more than Javier Mascherano’s demented display against Nigeria in the second half. Was he good? Was he useless? Who knows. He gave away a penalty. He can’t run. He can’t pass. He is 34. But with blood pouring from his face, Mascherano played like he’d been told that the world depended on Argentina winning and he went about his mission like a concussed James Bond, always demanding the ball, always giving it away, always winning it back, always demanding more from his team-mates.
Mission accomplished in the end. Defiance and desire have kept Argentina alive, while it also helps that Messi recovered from his existential crisis in time to produce those three magical touches against Nigeria. There are echoes, in fact, of the 2006 World Cup, when Zinedine Zidane awoke from group-stage torpor to inspire France to knockout wins over Spain and Brazil. If Messi’s in the mood again here, France’s team of individuals might be beaten by solo brilliance. Alternatively this could be the day when the volcano erupts and France discover their identity. One way or another, it’s bound to be eventful.
Kick-off: 3pm BST, 7pm in Kazan.
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