It's not just Messi vs Mbappe, it's Scaloni vs Deschamps too

There has been a lot of talking about Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe leading into the final of the World Cup. Justifiably so. They are the stars and they have played important roles in getting their team into the summit clash. But the key word here is 'team' and that is why for me, the role played by coach has been more important than say Messi or Mbappe.

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Lionel Scaloni, for instance, is very young. He has experience as a player but this is all very new to him. Still, he has surrounded Messi with the right kind of players; with the right kind of spirit and those were the very elements that were missing from Argentina's previous campaigns.

Argentina were my favourites coming into the tournament. They had a lovely combination of technique, high press, quick passing. And that is why they were successful but winning a World Cup requires something more.

That something is what France, under Didier Deschamps, already possesses. They won in 2018 and now they are in another final. In the last decade, the French team in international football have shown that they are like Real Madrid at club level. They know how to win. It doesn't matter how they look in the middle because the end result is what matters. They look weak but come together when the occasion demands.

It might surprise some that this is team that has reached the final of the World Cup in 1998, 2006, 2018 and now again in 2022. That is track record that the world will envy. But it is only incredible if you haven't followed the work that they have put it behind the scenes. The academies are top notch, they have players of African origin adding to the mix and the facilities are cutting edge. Keep at it, for 20 years as the French have done, and you too will have results.

A side that loses players of the caliber of Paul Pogba, Karim Benzema and N'golo Kante just before the tournament would be expected to not have it easy. But the manner in which Antoine Griezmann was moved into the midfield and how he has risen to the challenge showcases the essence of this team. The partnership with Adrien Rabiot has been superb for them and it might not be wrong to say that Griezmann has been the most important player for the French team.

Deschamps was clear in his communication. On current form, Griezmann would probably not have played ahead of Olivier Giroud, Mbappe or Ousmane Dembele. So, he accepted the coach's wishes. It is clearly better than sitting on the bench and he has, for France, been what Modric has been for Croatia. He is where the team needs him most. He has been everywhere.

Both Argentina and France are happier without the ball. They don't fight for it. Rather, they stay disciplined and wait to hit on the counter. It is always like that and that is how they are set up. They play the waiting game, look to play the through balls and take less risk.

Argentina are a team that works hard off the ball but that is how Scaloni has set them up. If they were doing the high press, they would have perhaps continued to play Martinez but he went with Alvarez since they decided that the counter-attack is their method.

France are doing the same. Their possession numbers are usually never high but that is because they don't care about playing that kind of game. Instead, they look to come at you with speed and lightning-fast counters when they have the ball. They use their strength. They are not here to look good or run circles around someone. Their tactics are as direct as they can get and it works for them.

So, if both these teams play as they usually do in the final, we could have a boring game because they both have a similar style. But if we have an early goal that could really spice things up. We have seen France come back from a goal down against Australia and the football they then played in the match was spectacular. But we haven't seen Argentina do that yet. I don't consider the match against Saudi Arabia to be a proper match because that isn't how Scaloni's team usually plays.

But if France get an early goal, I am really interested in seeing how Argentina will react. Will they stick to their guns or will they charge forward, throwing caution to the winds?

The big difference between the two sides is the winning experience. France have players who have won before, they know what it takes. Argentina, on the other hand, are entering uncharted territory. They don't have players who have won it all and that means we could see a certain desperation in their play; desperation that could lead to poor decision-making. But it must be said, that this is an Argentina team that are looking very comfortable with their style and as a group.

The managers will have an important role to play in the final. The players will all want to play but to be able to dispassionately judge what their team needs, what match-ups will give them an advantage will be very important. Change the tired legs, yes, but to change the winning combination is a huge decision. But that is why the managers are there. Deschamps' experience will serve him well but Scaloni will be in a pretty good space as well.

By now, the early jitters are history. Argentina are playing the kind of football that helped them go on an unbeaten 36-match run. France, too, are playing in their normal way. In the Nations League, they had looked disjointed but now they seem to be a side that is enjoying their game. So, as fans of the game, we can only hope that they continue to do the same.

Both teams are already in the final. There is not much more that needs to be said at this point. What can you tell them that will lift them at this point? There are no favourites now. Everyone wants Messi to win but the French aren't just going to step aside. Mental strength will be needed; resilience will be needed but perhaps most of all, they need to not get overawed by the moment. If they can play their game, we could have a final that will be remembered for a long time to come.

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