Julien Laurens
French football expert on BBC Radio 5 Live

It will be very interesting to see what happens now. I think Didier Deschamps will stay, even if France lose on Sunday. I think he sees Euro 2024 in Germany in 18 months time as a big opportunity to go and win something else again.

I think they will have that momentum even if they lose the final. The next generation is a fantastic generation and Kylian is going to get better. But what do you do with Karim then? He turns 36 tomorrow and then he will obviously be 37 and almost 38. I just don't know.

Nesta McGregor
BBC Sport at Lusail Stadium

Image source, BBC Sport

"My dad and I watched the semi-final at home in Buenos Aires and we decided we had to come to Doha for the final," Nicolas, an Argentina fan, tells me.

"We got here on Thursday without a ticket but we’ve managed to get them. We paid $2,400 (US Dollars) each for a ticket and we would have paid more.

"We don’t want to jinx it but we’d pay much more to see Messi left the trophy."

Argentina
World Cup finalists

Can anyone help this fan?

According to reports,, external tickets are going for £5,200 a pop for this game.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

There was a genuine possibility Gareth Southgate would call time on his tenure after admitting he was “conflicted” over whether to carry on with the job he took on permanently in November 2016.

Southgate was concerned his continuing presence might have a negative impact on England’s future.

He was also dismayed by criticism he received when England struggled in their Uefa Nations League campaign last summer – although few managers could seriously have expected to escape scrutiny and questioning after the embarrassment of the 4-0 loss to Hungary at Molineux.

In contrast, the response to both Southgate’s management and England’s performances here in Qatar has been very largely positive despite falling a round earlier than they did in 2018, when they lost to Croatia in the World Cup semi-final in Moscow.

This, and the emergence of a thrilling group of young players Southgate is moulding with his established, trusted stars, has convinced him to stay as England manager.

Guillem Balague
Spanish football journalist on BBC Radio 5 Live

Both teams have decided they are the spitting images of each other and not many things have to happen. Because if many things happen, they could lose control.

The thing about both of them, like every single team from the quarter-finals, the ones with the least possession have qualified.

Now we have two facing each other and a lot will depend if an accident happens and a goal comes up. I see two teams who can adapt to whatever happens. Perhaps France better than Argentina, more layers to them. But Argentina play at home.

John Murray
Commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live

It would be one of the great moments in football if we end today seeing Lionel Messi with the World Cup in his hands. You cannot avoid the Argentina shirts, I'm looking at them now.

There are a long line of flags with all the competing nations and there are thousands and thousands of Argentina flags already.

It surprised me the other day when Gianni Infantino, Fifa president, said, based on their application, that the top five countries attending the World Cup were Saudi Arabia, India, USA, UK and Mexico.

I cannot believe Argentina are not in that top five.

Pakdrip has also shared his award winners using #bbcfootball on Twitter.

Best goal: Mexico free kick

Best player: Messi

Best team: France

Biggest surprise: Morocco

Nesta McGregor
BBC Sport at Lusail Stadium

Image source, BBC Sport

"My mum and I want Argentina and Messi to win, but my dad and brother are supporting France," Tino tells me outside the Lusail Stadium.

"My brother has to say ‘Yes’ to everything I ask for a month if Argentina win. I met Messi and when I touched him I felt a tingle in my hand so maybe I will be the next Messi."

During Saturday's third-place play-off, the BBC pundits were asked to come up with their Team of the Tournament.

Want to see what Alex Scott, Jurgen Klinsmann and Micah Richards came up with?

They are coming up next. Hit the thumbs for each to let us know what you think.

The stage is set and the turnstiles are open for the 2022 World Cup final. With around three hours to kick-off, there is a smattering of Argentina fans inside the ground.

They're determined to saviour every single minute.

Image source, Rex Features

France

French shopkeepers boarded up stores on Paris' Champs Elysees for potential celebrations while the capital's metro covered up the name of the "Argentine" station in preparation for the World Cup final.

"I'm sure that France is going to win, it's a close-knit team with a young spirit and they have the potential to win," Xavier Grand-Jacquot told Reuters.

"It's a spectacular team and they're going to go all the way." The Paris

Metro temporarily renamed the "Argentine" underground station "France", covering up the name with "Allez les Bleus" (Go the Blues) banners.

Three hours to kick-off and Kylian Mbappe is everywhere.

Cardboard cut-outs of the France forward are all over Doha as fans make their way to the stadium.

Will he be celebrating a second World Cup winners' medal at the age of 23?

Image source, Getty Images

Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport at Lusail Stadium

Image source, BBC Sport

The only shirt around on the metro are Lionel Messi ones.

It feels like his moment, his day, his time to confirm his greatness.

But will France be the party poopers and turn the "Messi, Messi" cheers to tears?