Chris Sutton
Former England striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

It is electric in here.

It is so hard to call. I wonder if picking Di Maria is a risk because he won't track back. Can Mbappe exploit that? It is risk and reward.

France already getting stuck into a few challenges. Don't think you can come here and play any fancy stuff against us, we're the world champions!

Image source, Getty Images

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Lusail Stadium

Olivier Giroud straight to the France fans as the teams break to whip them up. They will be vastly outnumbered inside Lusail today but they are making plenty of noise.

France's first act is to boot the ball out of play and the ground erupts in whistles.

It all comes down to this.

The last month of football all boils down to this evening.

We are under way...

Image source, Getty Images

Where's your money? It's really hard not to want Messi to win this. I think France on paper have the edge, though.

At the very least, please let it justify the hype.

I mean, it's not a contest on the anthems. Argentina's superior numbers in this ground mean they've just taken France to the cleaners.

Chris Bevan
BBC Sport at Lusail Iconic Stadium

Image source, BBC Sport

The World Cup trophy was waiting for both teams as they walked out for the anthems - who will get their hands on it later?

OK people, enough of all this build-up stuff. The teams are on their way out.

It's time to end this thing with a bang!

Image source, Getty Images

Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappé both scored for France in the 2018 World Cup final (4-2 win v Croatia). Only four players have ever scored in two separate World Cup finals: Vavá (1958, 1962), Pelé (1958, 1970), Paul Breitner (1974, 1982), and Zinedine Zidane (1998, 2006).

Aged 23 years and 363 days on the day of this year’s showpiece, Mbappé could become the youngest player to score in multiple World Cup finals.

France’s Antoine Griezmann has created more chances (21) and has a higher expected assists total (3.5) than any other player at the 2022 World Cup.

Since Opta have this data available (from 1966), only one French player has created more chances at a single edition of the World Cup than Griezmann’s 21, with Alain Giresse creating 24 in 1982 and 24 again in 1986.

Image source, Getty Images

France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris will become just the fourth player to captain a side in consecutive World Cup finals, after Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (1982 and 1986), Diego Maradona (1986 and 1990) and Dunga (1994 and 1998).

With each of the previous three losing at least one of their finals, Lloris could be the first to captain a winning team in two separate finals.

Andy Cryer
BBC Sport in Qatar

The photographers are ready…

Tell you what, the fireworks budget for this World Cup will have been a bit punchy.

Image source, Getty Images

Argentina's Lionel Messi will become the all-time record appearance maker in World Cup history in this game (26). He could also become the first player to score in the group stage, round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final and final in a single edition of the tournament.

Messi has 11 goals and eight assists in 25 World Cup appearances. If he scores or assists in this match, he will be the first player to record 20 goal involvements at the competition (counting goals all-time and assists since 1966).

The World Cup trophy itself has just been delivered to the centre of the pitch.

Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone and ex-Spain keeper Iker Casillas with the honour.

Image source, Getty Images

France have the highest non-penalty expected goals (xG) total of any nation at the 2022 World Cup (11.9), while Argentina’s average of 0.40 non-penalty xG faced per game is the lowest in this year’s tournament.

Argentina have restricted their opponents to just 5.7 shots per game at this World Cup, fewer than any other side. They haven't faced above 0.6 expected goals against in any of their six games so far.

Micah Richards
Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

I have spoken about Alvarez and everyone was focused on Haaland. But what a player he is. He has got a chance and shown everyone what he can do. It's not just his goalscoring, it's his workrate.

Andy Cryer
BBC Sport in Qatar

Huge cheers from the stadium as Diego Maradona's iconic dribble and finish - sorry Terry Fenwick - against England from 1986 is shown on the big screen.

Will we get a Messi moment this evening?

KarlosMac2020: France have found a way to win the last two games while not playing well and I see them having enough to do the same. Mbappe and Greizmann will light up the final. Giroud to score the winner.