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Argentina v France: Five World Cup Final Bet Builders including 55/1 shot

Paul Higham
18 December 2022
2 min read

Argentina's Lionel Scaloni and France's Didier Deschamps

Lionel Scaloni and Didier Deschamps go head to head in the World Cup final

Argentina vs France
Sun 18 Dec, 15:00

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Paul Higham is back with his World Cup Bet Builders and since it's the final there's five to go at with a bumper 55/1 shot for a few simple player stats bets for Argentina v France, along with specials just for Mbappe and Messi. Read further to find your best betting angle for the World Cup final...

Value Bet Builders ranging from 17/1 to huge 55/1 shot
Back Messi or Mbappe specials to shine in Qatar
Four of last seven finals have gone to extra time
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The World Cup final's a marketeers dream with Lionel Messi's Argentina tackling Kylian Mbappe's France - the defending champions looking to become just the third team to successfully retain the World Cup.

And these two superstars really are playing for all the marbles as they're the top two in the Golden Boot race and top two in the Golden Ball betting and you fancy whoever ends up lifting that wonderful golden trophy will also walk away with the personal accolades as well.

For the record the odds for World Cup & Golden Boot winner are Messi & Argentina 6/4 and Mbappe & France 11/5 but we'll dig out something much more appealing with five World Cup final Bet Builders.

As usual they're themed around various game scenarios that could play out in Qatar, with also a couple of special ones for our two global superstars that are on show.

Back Argentina's other guys in huge 55/1 shot

It's a second final in three tournaments and sixth overall for Argentina, but they've only won two out of five World Cup finals and have lost the last two - but with this being Lionel Messi's farewell to the tournament it's written in the stars that he walk away as a winner.

Messi will obviously perform but Argentina's defence has to step up to blunt not only Mbappe but Giroud and Griezmann too - and despite looking quite ordinary at times they've actually allowed the fewest shots per game (5.7) and lowest xG against (0.6) per game in the tournament.

Lionel Scaloni's tactics in the last two games have been spot on and they'll set about frustrating the French with their spoiling tricks and no doubt add to the 12 bookings they've already amassed in the tournament.

Usual suspects Nicolas Otamendi and Cristian Romero have both been booked in both the quarters and semis so why not roll the dice on them doing so again when the stakes are even higher - whether their winning, losing or drawing when the game heads down the stretch they'll be fighting, clawing and doing everything to get Argentina over the line.

A stand-out bet for me in this game is Julian Alvarez to score anytime at 16/5 as he looks a class act and perfect Sergio Aguero-style foil for Messi up front, and most importantly he's growing into the tournament and not fazed at all by the big stage.

This turns out as a monster Bet Builder but every element occurred in the last game and there's no reason why we wouldn't get the same again here.

Argentina lift trophy, Romero & Otamendi carded, Alvarez to score

55/1

France show they're more than just Mbappe

This is a fourth World Cup final for France starting from 1998 and they're aiming to become just the third back-to-back champions after also beating Argentina en route to victory in Russia in 2018 - with their 4-3 last-16 tie an absolute belter.

All eyes will be on Mbappe but he's not scored in the last two games and if Argentina single him out it'll be up to the rest to do the business, but with Giroud, Griezmann and Dembele they're fully capable.

The semi-final was France's first clean sheet of the tournament so chances are they'll need to score twice to get the job done here, and with Mbappe taken care of step forward Giroud to bag his fifth of the tournament at 3/1, probably from yet another delicious cross from Griezmann.

After scoring in the Russia final Griezmann could well double up and bag again here but we'll take him here in the score or assist market at a still reasonable 9/5 given he's created more chances and a higher expected assists mark than anyone else in this World Cup.

Our final piece of the puzzle is a Dembele assist at 16/5. He's got two already is this tournament as his express pace could catch Argentina out if they zero in too much on Mbappe on the other side of the field.

France win, Giroud score, Dembele assist & Griezmann score or assist

27/1

A typical cagey World Cup final

The bookies can't split them as they're both 9/5 to win in 90 minutes, so why not back the 90-minute draw at 2/1 if you want an outright single as three of the last four World Cup finals have ended.

It'll be interesting to see who might try and go on the front foot, as they both only had 39% possession in their semi-finals and you sense both sides would prefer to play on the break.

That would also slow down the pace of play and lead us to under 2.5 goals being scored, as has been the case in four of the last six World Cup finals. I'm also more than happy to take Argentina over 2.5 cards at 7/5 in this scenario.

It's four of the last seven overall that've gone into extra time, with two of those needing penalties to separate them. Either team to win in extra time 5/1 with 7/2 on offer for the game to be decided by spot-kicks.

For me, I can't envision the game going to extra time and neither Messi or Mbappe conjuring up a bit of magic to win it in extra time, as the last two finals to end all square have done, this is their stage and if they are true greats they'll show us in the biggest of moments of them all.

Either team to win in extra time, under 2.5 goals & Argentina 2+ cards

17/1

The Messi magical send-off Bet Builder

The magician has been getting better as the tournament has gone on, and after missing out in the 2014 final in Brazil, you just know Messi will want his finger prints all over this final as he's desperate to claim the ultimate international prize in his final World Cup game.

The are two more records the 35-year-old can make on Sunday, as a goal will make him the first man to score in the group stage, last 16, quarters, semis and final in a single World Cup, while a goal or assist will make him the first to register 20 goal involvements in the tournament.

Lionel Messi stop it #BBCWorldCup #FifaWorldCup pic.twitter.com/MaYQilXnBL
-- BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 13, 2022

He's scored and assisted in three games so far and he's had a goal or assist in both of his pervious games against France - I think he can do both here in the final. Overall he's scored in five of Argentina's six games in Qatar, with four of those occasions being the opening goal of the game.

We'll add a couple more strings to our bow here in Messi to have 2+ shots on target, which he's done in three games so far, and also take him to have 2+ fouls, which he's done in games against Mexico and Netherlands - in other words if it gets a bit feisty he'll get stuck in, and in a World Cup final he'll not be holding back.

Messi goal & assist, 1+ fouls & 2+ shots on target

17/1

The Mbappe doubles up Bet Builder

Like Griezmann, Mbappe is also looking for successive World Cup final goals, which would take his tally to a remarkable 10 and could see him become a double World Cup winner still two days short of his 24^th birthday.

Mbappe got two in that remarkable knockout game against Argentina in 2018 and after two games without a goal he can come storming back with a bang with another brace against the South Americans.

Kylian Mbappe. 1 game. 2 goals. Need we say more? #ITVFootball | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/6GhMorPj54
-- ITV Football (@itvfootball) December 4, 2022

It's a huge price of 12/1 for Mbappe to get a double but he's managed it twice in Qatar to make it three times overall in 11 World Cup starts, so you can't say it's hugely out of the question especially since he's done it before against this opposition.

And what better way for him to win a second World Cup than by not only scoring in his second final but scoring twice to settle the tie.

France win in 90 mins & Mbappe 2+ goals

21/1

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