That's us finished for today. As always, thank you for joining us.

Here's all the main stories from today:

Fifa to rethink 2026 format after 'best' World Cup

Fifa propose expanded 32-team Club World Cup

England forward Mead signs new Arsenal contract

Busquets retires from international football

'Proud' Morocco face Croatia in third place game

Deschamps - from 'water carrier' to France legend

And with two days of no World Cup action, it's back tomorrow with the third-placed play-off game between Croatia and Morocco. Make sure to tune into that on BBC One and iPlayer.

Not long until the big day on Sunday.

Thanks again and see you next time!

It's almost exactly 48 hours until the 2022 World Cup final kicks off. It has all the ingredients to be a special one.

Here's a reminder of Argentina and France's semi-final performances...

Henry Winter
Chief Football Writer for the Times

I wouldn't put this tournament in my top five World Cups and I didn't attend 1970 or 1982, which were sensational.

It is the type of thing that Gianni Infantino says. I seem to remember him rubbing shoulders with Vladimir Putin and saying Russia was the greatest World Cup.

We can take that comment with a pinch of salt.

Guillem Balague
Spanish football journalist on BBC Radio 5 Live

There are a lot of "yes, but" in this tournament. The coaches only had one week to prepare it. It has been a conservative World Cup, in that teams are so fit and so well organised. The ones that made it out of the quarter-finals had the least amount of possession. Teams that don't dominate or offer a spectacle are sharp because it is halfway through the season.

From a football point of view you think that it would be better to have one month to prepare for a World Cup and players a bit more tired so there are more mistakes.

But, it is true, that in terms of working conditions, for the players and journalists, it has been very good. I am not convinced that everyone will want to change the calendar every four years to make a World Cup. I don't think that will happen.

Henry Winter
Chief Football Writer for the Times

I have really enjoyed this tournament, once the fans and football took over.

There was about 40,000 Argentina fans outside my flat that I've got over here last night, and they were singing this song all about Diego Maradona looking down from heaven and willing Lionel Messi to win the World Cup.

The fans are special here.

Gary Lineker
Ex-England striker

It has been important: Argentina, Brazil, Morocco, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia - they have brought some kind of, what you would say, real football feeling within the stadium.

I have seen a lot of games where it is like watching the opera or something, which is fine.

It has been a very different World Cup in that sense but the Argentina fans have been incredible.

It is a long way. I just think they felt something special was going to happen. They have given something that the tournament would have really lacked if they hadn't come.

Ex-Serbia, Lazio and Inter Milan defender Sinisa Mihaljovic has died at the age of 53, three years after being diagnosed with leukaemia.

He helped Red Star Belgrade win the European Cup in 1991.

After a successful playing career, he went on to manage a number of clubs in Italy including AC Milan and was still in the dugout three months ago with Bologna.

Image source, Reuters

A bit more on the virus in the French camp which caused Dalot Upamecano and Adrien Rabiot to miss the semi-final against Morocco and has also affected central defenders Raphael Varane and Ibrahima Konate.

Striker Randal Kolo Muani said earlier that the squad were taking precautions.

"Those who are sick stay in their room," he said. "They're being taken care of by the doctors and we've been enforcing social distancing.

"We're very strict about it."

Fellow forward Ousmane Dembele said: "We're not scared of that virus. Dayot and Adrien got a bit of a stomach ache, I made them a ginger and honey tea and then they felt better. I hope everyone will be ready for the final.

"Dayot got better and I think everyone will be ready. We've been taking precautions. The first day, Dayot stayed in his room and we brought him food and he was back with everyone the next day."

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool would have to pay 150m euros (£130m) for Borussia Dortmund and England midfielder Jude Bellingham, 19, and around 100m euros (£87m) for Benfica and Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez, 21.(Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish), external

Meanwhile, Manchester City's future transfer plans involve trying to sign Bellingham and Arsenal and England winger Bukayo Saka, 21.(90min), external

The agency that represents Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, 26, wants the the Morocco international to join Liverpool.(Soccernews), external

Tottenham are ready to step up their efforts to try to sign Amrabat, with Fiorentina wanting at least £50m to sell him during the January transfer window.(La Repubblica, via Mail), external

Atletico Madrid and Portugal forward Joao Felix, 23, who has been offered to Premier League clubs including Arsenal and Manchester United, wants to play for Paris St-Germain.(Gianluca di Marzio via Soccernews), external

Chelsea were also offered the chance to sign Felix for £86m and he could be an option for the Blues, along with Barcelona and Netherlands forward Memphis Depay, 28.(Evening Standard), external

Perhaps some of those players who have made a name for themselves in the past few weeks will be heading to a club near you soon...

Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport

A young, dynamic midfielder helped Morocco make World Cup history by reaching the semi-finals.

Croatia were marshalled at the back by the 20-year-old man in the mask on their run to the last four.

A fledgling Argentine may get his hands on the trophy after Sunday's final against France.

An English teenager's stock continued to soar.

And a Dutchman and a Portuguese, both in their early 20s, hit differing trebles.

Want to find out more about the breakout stars of this World Cup? Read the full story here

And Alvarez is just one of a number of breakout stars from this tournament...

Four World Cup goals and Julian Alvarez only cost Manchester City £14.1m earlier this year? What a bargain!

Andy Cryer
BBC Sport in Qatar

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City signed Julian Alvarez from River Plate for 17m euros (£14.1m) in January 2022.

He agreed a five-and-a-half-year deal with City, but remained at the Argentine champions on loan until July.

This season, he has made 12 Premier League appearances - mostly from the substitutes' bench - and has scored three goals.

Former Argentina and City defender Pablo Zabaleta told BBC Sport Alvarez's "work-rate is unbelievable".

"He's playing alongside Lionel Messi up front and it seems, from the outside, that he's like: 'Messi - don't run. I'll do it for you,' he added.

"You need a big heart [to do that]. He started at the World Cup on the bench but then [got] one chance and he's been brilliant."

Read more on Alvarez here

Andy Cryer
BBC Sport in Qatar

Argentina captain Lionel Messi has called Julian Alvarez "spectacular" and "extraordinary" after the 22-year-old's double against Croatia helped them into the World Cup final.

Manchester City's Alvarez took his goal tally to four, one behind joint top scorers Messi and Kylian Mbappe.

"Nobody imagined Julian would have the participation and importance he has shown," said Messi.

"The help he has given us has been absolutely spectacular."

Read the full story here

But it's not all about Lionel Messi.

There is someone else in the Argentina camp who is proving key for boss Lionel Scaloni...

Gary Lineker
Ex-England striker

The final is too tough to call, it could go either way. It is on the day.

One-off finals can twist and turn on a bit of good fortune or a moment of brilliance from someone like Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappe, or even both.

It is a really tough one to predict.

Personally, I am a massive admirer of Messi, and I make no apology for that because he's given me great joy. Whatever happens for him in the final, he has confirmed his status as right up there as one of the game's greats.

His performances have been staggering. Even in his quiet games he does three or four things that will always take your breath away.

He is playing with more freedom because of winning the Copa America - I think that was a massive weight off his back. He is playing with the joy we've seen for many years.

I would love to see Argentina win it for that reason, but France would be worthy winners too.