FIFA World Cup 2022: One Last Dance for Messi with Argentina

After one of the most exciting tournaments in living memory, filled with surprising results and outstanding performances, the FIFA World Cup 2022 is ready for the decisive encounter. France will take on Argentina in the final and this promises to be a blockbuster game, albeit with one remarkable player dominating the previews and recent headlines.

This clash of nations will be the last international appearance for Lionel Messi, the man who is often hailed as the greatest footballer of all time, having mesmerised fans of the beautiful game for almost two decades. Having won the Ballon d’Or seven times, along with every other team and individual honour available, the World Cup trophy is the one title that has evaded the Argentina superstar.

The remarkable achievements of Messi will perhaps never be repeated, although for the player himself, lifting the World Cup trophy with Argentina would undoubtedly be his crowning glory. Fans around the globe will undoubtedly be glued to their screens, watching the final with keen interest, unable to take their eyes away from this one last dance for Messi with Argentina.

Final Clash of World Cup Titans

While club competitions are increasingly the priority for many professional footballers, nothing quite captures the imagination like a World Cup tournament. Now that everything boils down to the final clash of titans, opinions are divided regarding which team will claim the ultimate prize, and this includes oddsmakers at the leading online betting sites.

For anyone who plans to wager on the outcome of this international clash of titans, finding the best value football World Cup betting odds will obviously be quite the priority, which means choosing where to bet can be just as important as deciding which team to back. When compiling their in-depth reviews at SBO, professional bettor focus on comparing everything that matters, rating trust and reputation alongside the competitiveness of odds and offers.

Heading into the FIFA World Cup 2022 Final, when looking through the outright winner odds available from the leading online bookies, the duel between Argentina and France is challenging to call. Outright winner markets are quite evenly split between the two sides, which indicates this could be a very tight encounter.

Many betting sites are offering the same winner odds for both teams, although some have leaned slightly towards pricing a favourite. Several of the leading online bookies value France as the slight favourites, albeit with the slimmest of margins compared to the odds being offered for Argentina. For this reason, looking at all the options available is highly recommended, ahead of placing bets and getting ready to enjoy a fascinating match.

Race for the Top Individual Prizes

Ever since the 1982 tournament hosted by Spain, two player awards have often provided the focus of much attention, as fans and pundits alike try to predict which players will claim the top individual honours. While there have been many surprises at the FIFA World Cup 2022 tournament, oddsmakers were pretty accurate with their evaluations for leading candidates.

Messi has confirmed the final will be his last ever World Cup game. The vastly experienced and supremely talented superstar has lived up to his reputation, voted as Man of the Match in 4 of his 6 appearances at the tournament. Getting ready to lead Argentina into the final, Messi is also co-leader for both goals (5) and assists (3), making him the clear outright favourite to win the Golden Ball, which is awarded to the Player of the Tournament.

Only one other player comes close to matching the performance levels of Messi, and that man is France forward Kylian Mbappe. The lightning-quick 23-year-old is co-leader for goals (5), and only slightly behind for assists (2), along with being named Man of the Match in 3 of his 6 appearances. But while Messi remains highly fancied to win the Golden Ball, come what may, Mbappe is widely regarded as Golden Boot favourite as top goalscorer.

Lifting the World Cup trophy will inevitably be the priority for Argentina and France, although fans are just as keen to see which player will take the top individual honours, making this final encounter all the more intriguing. Mbappe is at the forefront of an exciting new generation, while Messi represents the old, ready to bow out of international football on the biggest stage possible. Despite the age difference, both will be just as keen to take the top honours.