DOHA – After a mesmerising month of upsets, when several brash outsiders threatened football’s status quo, the World Cup final will have a familiar feel on Sunday when two heavyweights in Argentina and France go toe to toe, each seeking a third title.

It seems a long time ago that the Argentinians were on the wrong side of statistically the biggest shock in Finals history when they were beaten by Saudi Arabia, and France, even with a shadow team, were embarrassed by Tunisia.

Argentina recovered to top their group, had a nervous finale before seeing off Australia 2-1 in the last 16, then blew a 2-0 lead in the 10th minute of quarter-final stoppage time against the Netherlands before coming through on penalties.

They finally found their rhythm against Croatia, a team who had knocked out Brazil, to march into the final on a high.

Of course, nothing that has happened in the previous six games will matter a jot for either team who are going to triumph in their seventh at the 88,000-capacity Lusail Stadium.

Regardless of what happens on Sunday, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has no regrets.

“I am proud and enthusiastic about the moment we are living,” he said on Saturday.

“We are on the verge of a final but the important thing is the road to get here.

“The group is in their best moment. Our biggest win is that everyone feels part of it. That is fundamental. We have to enjoy these moments until the match starts. All of this will remain in history.”

The storyline underpinning the match is whether Lionel Messi can get his hands on the trophy at the fifth attempt and on his last World Cup appearance.

The 35-year-old has certainly delivered magical moments on the pitch, often in key periods. From Argentina’s opening game until their semi-final win, he has been the tournament’s out-and-out star.

His match statistics speak for themselves – six starts, five goals, three assists en route to the final.

Beyond the dazzling data, however, it has been Messi’s mesmerising motion, and joyous celebrations, that have electrified fans around the world.

Spending large passages of play at walking pace and barely bothering to defend at times, he has waited for his moments, employing with deadly effect his low centre of gravity, stunning change of pace and shimmying runs with ball glued to feet.

British writer Jonathan Wilson wrote that Messi is “a sprite floating on the periphery of the game until the moment is right”.

“You can mark a man; much harder to mark a ghost,” he added.

However, Argentina have other strengths besides Messi – Julian Alvarez has been a breakout star with four goals.

They also head into the match with two players back from suspension – Defenders Gonzalo Montiel and Marcos Acuna – and forward Angel di Maria fit.

Left-back Acuna was the biggest loss for Argentina in the semi-final as he has been a critical part of Scaloni’s set-up, playing in all of their previous five games and starting four times.

In their quarter-final against the Netherlands, he was arguably one of Argentina’s best players, winning nine of his 13 duels, completing 100 per cent of his dribbles and earning the penalty from which Messi scored their second goal.

He could be critical if Argentina are to control that side of the pitch, where France have Ousmane Dembele in great form.

Di Maria, who was left on the bench for the semi-final against Croatia, could also be key.

The forward, recovering from a thigh injury, has played only nine minutes in Argentina’s last three matches. He is expected to be fit and fresh for Sunday against a France side who have been hit by injuries and illness throughout this tournament.

“We have many players who can define this game,” insisted Scaloni.

“The match will be Argentina v France, beyond Lionel Messi v Kylian Mbappe. Messi is doing well and we hope we can win this but the match will be defined by every player not just these two.”

Despite their troubles, France know that in the rapier thrusts of Mbappe, who also has five goals, the old-school centre-forward instincts of Olivier Giroud and the creative wanderings of Antoine Griezmann they have their own formidable armoury.

Just as Messi delivered that incredible combination of strength and skill to set up Argentina’s third goal against Croatia, Mbappe conjured a brilliant, high-speed dribble that shredded the Moroccan defence to create France’s second.

He and Giroud have nine goals between them in Qatar but it is Griezmann who has been the point of difference as he drifts and floats into areas defenders do not like to follow, then delivers intricate and deadly accurate passes.

Having lost to Germany in the 2014 final, Argentina are seeking a third triumph to follow 1978 and 1986 but France are the team of the moment. Not that Scaloni is fazed by it, though.

“Hopefully we can win the Cup, it would be great. We know how to attack them, we have our weapons, our strengths, we have a clear game plan,” he said. REUTERS, AFP