France and Argentina will square off in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final on Sunday, and the two teams are hard at work game-planning about how to stop their opponent's superstars. Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe figure to be the focal points of the game plans for both teams, and French striker Olivier Giroud admitted that France and Didier Deschamps are exploring all avenues when it comes to slowing down the 35-year-old superstar.
Via David Ornstein of The Athletic, Giroud said France will do āeverythingā to try and slow Messi down, and even referenced N'Golo Kante's 2018 World Cup performance, during which the French midfielder managed to put the clamps on the Argentine.
āWe want to win this game and the World Cup and we will try everything to stop him. There is not only Messi in that team. They have great players who work for the team also. Thatās why they are so strongā¦I remember in 2018 NāGolo [Kante] was all the game behind his back.ā
Unfortunately for France, injuries have kept Kante out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, so they won't be able to deploy the tireless midfielder to mark Messi throughout the game. Still, France is planning on ensuring Messi isn't able to perform his usual magic in the attacking third, and will aim to prevent him from having much breathing room to operate with.
At the 2022 World Cup, Lionel Messi has five goals and three assists, leading Argentina in both categories heading into the final against France. Olivier Giroud and the rest of the squad are well aware of the danger he represents, but seem to think they're prepared to slow him down, if not stop him.
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