Argentina president

France Coach Didier Deschamps knows the majority of fans at the final, not to mention most neutrals around the world, will be cheering for Lionel Messi to win ...

It has been reported in France that the virus was contracted from England’s players during the quarterfinal, although the evidence for that claim is scant, at best. And this final, then, oozing with soccer royalty, is a fitting send-off for a glorious, complicated spectacle conjured in a desert: Either France or Argentina is one victory from immortality, the best kind of permanence. France appears to have overcome a brush with illness to start its first-choice team. Lionel Messi apart, arguably nobody has played a more prominent role in Argentina’s run to the World Cup final than a 62-year-old musician and a 30-year-old teacher, neither of whom is anywhere near Qatar. Here in Buenos Aires, the displays of devotion are not solemn. I don’t know what the temperature is like in Grenoble, Constant, but in Paris the cold is biting. With its gold trophy on the field, in front of the two teams, it’s worth noting that it is hard to overstate the power of the World Cup final. Pandemonium here in Buenos Aires on Messi’s goal. Di María scored it but what a terrific team play that was: A ball won in the back, two quick passes — including one from Messi to Álvarez — and Mac Allister was away. It starts with an inch-perfect, instinctive flick from Messi, but after that it is pure poetry: Álvarez sweeping it into Mac Allister’s path, Mac Allister seeing Di María’s run, timing the release of the pass to perfection, and then a first-time finish. 45′ +7 Enzo Fernández is down in a heap, claiming some sort of violent assault from Kolo Muani, who was hauled down himself a moment earlier. France carries enough of a threat, though, for Argentina to be at least a little wary of what happens from here on in.