DOHA, Dec 17, 2022 (BSS/AFP) - How Argentina and France

 reached the World Cup final in Qatar:

Argentina

Group stage

Argentina 1 (Messi 10-pen) Saudi Arabia 2
(Saleh Al-Shehri 48, Salem Al-Dawsari 53)

Argentina 2 (Messi 64, Fernandez 87) Mexico 0

Poland 0 Argentina 2 (Mac Allister 46, Alvarez 67)

Last 16

Argentina 2 (Messi 35, Alvarez 57) Australia 1
(Fernandez 77-og)

Quarter-final

Netherlands 2 (Weghorst 83, 90+11) Argentina 2
(Molina 35, Messi 73-pen) after extra time

Argentina win 4-3 on penalties

Semi-final

Argentina 3 (Messi 34-pen, Alvarez 39, 69) Croatia 0

Argentina squad

Goalkeepers: Franco Armani (River Plate/ARG),
 Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa/ENG),
Geronimo Rulli (Villarreal/ESP)

Defenders: Marcos Acuna (Sevilla/ESP),
Juan Foyth (Villarreal/ESP),
Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United/ENG),
 Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid/ESP),
Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla/ESP),
Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica/POR),
German Pezzella (Real Betis/ESP),
Cristian Romero (Tottenham/ENG),
Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon/FRA)

Midfielders: Thiago Almada (Atlanta/USA),
Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid/ESP),
Enzo Fernandez (Benfica/POR),
Alejandro Gomez (Sevilla/ESP),
 Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton/ENG),
Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen/GER),
Leandro Paredes (Juventus/ITA), Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis/ESP)

Forwards: Julian Alvarez (Manchester City/ENG),
Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid/ESP) Angel Di Maria (Juventus/ITA),
Paulo Dybala (Roma/ITA),
Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA),
 Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan/ITA)

World Cup history

Winners: 2 (1978 and 1986)

Losing finalists: 3 (1930, 1990, 2014)

Leading World Cup goalcorer: Lionel Messi (11)

Leading scorer at Qatar World Cup: Lionel Messi (5)

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France

Group stage

France 4 (Rabiot 27, Giroud 32, 71, Mbappe 68)
Australia 1 (Goodwin 9)

France 2 (Mbappe 61, 86) Denmark 1 (Christensen 68)

Tunisia 1 (Khazri 58) France 0

Last 16

France 3 (Giroud 44, Mbappe 74, 90+1)
 Poland 1 (Lewandowski 90+9-pen)

Quarter-final

England 1 (Kane 54-pen) France 2 (Tchouameni 17, Giroud 78)

Semi-final

France 2 (Hernandez 5, Kolo Muani 79) Morocco 0

France squad

Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (West Ham/ENG),
Hugo Lloris (Tottenham/ENG),
Steve Mandanda (Rennes/FRA)

Defenders: Axel Disasi (Monaco/FRA),
 Theo Hernandez (AC Milan/ITA),
Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool/ENG),
Jules Kounde (Barcelona/ESP),
Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich/GER),
 William Saliba (Arsenal/ENG),
 Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich/GER),
Raphael Varane (Manchester United/ENG)

Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid/ESP),
Youssouf Fofana (Monaco/FRA),
Matteo Guendouzi (Marseille/FRA),
Adrien Rabiot (Juventus/ITA),
Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid/ESP),
Jordan Veretout (Marseille/FRA)

Forwards: Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich/GER),
Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona/ESP),
Olivier Giroud (AC Milan/ITA),
Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid/ESP),
 Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER),
Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA),
 Marcus Thuram (Borussia Moenchengladbach/GER)

World Cup history

Winners: 2 (1998, 2018)

Losing finalists: 1 (2006)

Leading World Cup goalcorer: Just Fontaine (13)

Leading scorer at Qatar World Cup: Kylian Mbappe (5)