Argentina National Football Team vs France National Football Team Lineups: The Complete Guide

The Argentina National Football Team vs France National Football Team lineups question trips up almost every fan before kickoff. Fake team news spreads fast, and one outdated post can wreck a matchday preview, a fantasy pick, or a friendly debate. That ends here. This pillar guide lists every confirmed XI from their historic meetings, breaks down the tactics, and shows you exactly where to verify team news first.

Quick Answer: Who Started the 2022 World Cup Final?

Argentina started Emiliano Martínez in goal behind Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Nicolás Otamendi, and Nicolás Tagliafico. Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández, and Alexis Mac Allister held the midfield, while Lionel Messi, Julián Álvarez, and Ángel Di María led the attack.

France answered with Hugo Lloris; Jules Koundé, Raphaël Varane, Dayot Upamecano, and Théo Hernández at the back. Aurélien Tchouaméni and Adrien Rabiot screened the defense, and Ousmane Dembélé, Antoine Griezmann, and Kylian Mbappé supported Olivier Giroud.

The match finished 3-3 after extra time. Argentina won the shootout 4-2 and lifted the trophy at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022, in front of nearly 89,000 fans.

Argentina National Football Team vs France National Football Team Lineups: 2022 Final XIs

Referee Szymon Marciniak oversaw the greatest final in modern memory. Both managers named attacking XIs, and neither lineup survived the night unchanged.

Argentina (4-3-3)

France (4-2-3-1)

Argentina’s Starting XI vs France: Roles and Impact

The Argentina vs France lineups told a story of calculated gambles. Lionel Scaloni stunned pundits by starting Di María on the left after an injury-hit tournament, and the winger repaid him inside 36 minutes.

• Emiliano Martínez won the Golden Glove, saved Kingsley Coman’s shootout kick, and denied Randal Kolo Muani with a last-gasp stop in extra time.
• Romero and Otamendi absorbed relentless pressure during France’s 15-minute comeback spell.
• De Paul covered every blade of grass, shielding Molina from Mbappé’s runs.
• Enzo Fernández earned the Young Player Award with calm, two-footed distribution.
• Mac Allister slid the pass that released Di María for Argentina’s second goal.
• Messi scored twice, won the Golden Ball, and completed his career résumé.
• Álvarez stretched France’s center-backs with constant pressing runs.

Molina’s night ended with cramps, but his discipline against the fastest winger in world football deserves more credit than it gets.

France’s Starting XI vs Argentina: Roles and Impact

France’s XI in the 2022 World Cup final carried double champions-in-waiting status. Nobody had retained the trophy since Brazil in 1962, and Didier Deschamps’ selection backed experience over form.

• Lloris broke France’s appearance record and made two vital first-half stops.
• Varane and Upamecano struggled with Álvarez’s movement but held firm until extra time.
• Théo Hernández delivered the cross that forced Argentina’s panic before the penalty.
• Tchouaméni and Rabiot lost midfield control early, then Tchouaméni dragged France level with the assist for Mbappé’s volley.
• Griezmann dropped deep to build play, becoming France’s creative hub after a quiet opening half.
• Giroud and Dembélé lasted just 41 minutes — two of the boldest final calls ever made.
• Mbappé scored a hat-trick, the first in a World Cup final since Geoff Hurst in 1966, and claimed the Golden Boot with eight goals.

Deschamps’ early double substitution nearly saved the trophy. Marcus Thuram and Kolo Muani changed the game’s tempo the moment they stepped on.

Head-to-Head Record: Every Modern Meeting

The Argentina National Football Team vs France National Football Team lineups have shifted with every era, yet this fixture keeps producing history. Their rivalry spans nearly a century of World Cup drama.

Argentina struck first in 1930 through Luis Monti and again in 1978, when Daniel Passarella and Leopoldo Luque answered a Michel Platini goal. France dominated the friendlies decade, with Gabriel Heinze’s header winning in 2007 before Bafétimbi Gomis struck twice in Marseille two years later. The World Cup meetings, though, define the rivalry.

The 2018 World Cup Classic: Lineups That Started This Rivalry Era

Before the 2022 final, the Argentina vs France lineups from Kazan had already written a thriller. Seven goals, one legendary volley, and a teenager announcing himself to the planet.

Argentina XI (Jorge Sampaoli): Franco Armani; Gabriel Mercado, Nicolás Otamendi, Marcos Rojo, Nicolás Tagliafico; Javier Mascherano, Ever Banega, Enzo Pérez; Messi, Cristian Pavón, Di María.

France XI (Didier Deschamps): Hugo Lloris; Benjamin Pavard, Raphaël Varane, Samuel Umtiti, Lucas Hernández; N’Golo Kanté, Paul Pogba; Mbappé, Griezmann, Blaise Matuidi; Giroud.

Key moments that night:

• Mbappé won a 13th-minute penalty with a 60-meter sprint, and Griezmann converted.
• Di María answered with a 30-yard screamer that still stuns on replay.
• Mercado’s deflected finish put Argentina ahead within three minutes of the restart.
• Pavard’s half-volley won FIFA’s goal of the tournament and leveled the match.
• Mbappé struck twice in four minutes — the first teenager with a World Cup brace since Pelé in 1958.
• Sergio Agüero’s stoppage-time header made it 4-3, but France held on.

That match ended Argentina’s tournament and started France’s championship run. Four and a half years later, the same nations settled the score.

Tactical Analysis: How Both Teams Set Up

The Argentina National Football Team vs France National Football Team lineups in 2022 clashed as 4-3-3 against 4-2-3-1, and the tactical duel swung in three distinct phases.

Phase one — Argentina’s control (0-40 minutes): Scaloni’s men pressed high and pinned France deep. Di María attacked Koundé’s side repeatedly until he won the penalty and scored himself. France created nothing for over half an hour.

Phase two — France’s rescue (70-90 minutes): Deschamps removed his striker and winger, switched to a direct 4-2-4, and launched crosses at speed. Mbappé converted two goals in 97 seconds. Panic replaced control in the Argentina camp.

Phase three — Extra-time chess: Both teams emptied their tanks. Messi restored the lead in the 108th minute before Mbappé’s second penalty forced the shootout. Preparation met chaos, and Argentina’s squad depth held.

The lesson for fans studying these lineups: formation labels matter less than the substitutions. Each manager’s bench decisions shaped the result more than the initial team sheets.

Messi vs Mbappé: The Duel That Defines This Fixture

Every discussion about Argentina vs France lineups returns to two names. Messi and Mbappé have owned this rivalry’s biggest moments across two World Cups.

In 2018, a 19-year-old Mbappé tore Argentina apart with pace nobody could match. In 2022, a 35-year-old Messi scored twice in the final, added a shootout kick, and finally lifted the trophy that escaped him in 2014. His seven goals and three assists earned the Golden Ball.

Mbappé still walked away with the Golden Boot after his hat-trick — the highest-scoring final performance in 56 years. Both players scored in the shootout. Both delivered when their nations demanded it. Football rarely writes scripts this clean.

Bench Strength: Substitutes Who Shaped the Shootout

The starting Argentina vs France lineups grabbed the headlines, but the benches decided the outcome. Smart bettors and fantasy players track these options closely.

France’s substitutes:

• Marcus Thuram (41′) added direct running and won crucial fouls.
• Kolo Muani (41′) nearly won the World Cup with a one-on-one chance in the 123rd minute.
• Kingsley Coman (71′) tested Argentina’s tiring right side and took France’s second shootout kick — saved by Martínez.

Argentina’s substitutes:

• Lautaro Martínez injected physicality and won the extra-time free kick that led to goal three.
• Leandro Paredes brought composure when the game turned frantic.
• Paulo Dybala converted his shootout kick in his first real minutes of the tournament.
• Gonzalo Montiel buried the winning penalty — a defender who never started a knockout match scored the kick of his life.

Depth wins World Cups. Both squads proved it in the same match.

Predicted Lineups If They Meet Again

No fixture between these nations is currently confirmed on the calendar. They sit in different confederations, so future meetings depend on FIFA international windows, tournament draws, or another final collision. Still, the next edition of Argentina National Football Team vs France National Football Team lineups will feature fascinating squad evolution.

Argentina’s next wave:

• Core: Emiliano Martínez, Cristian Romero, Enzo Fernández, Mac Allister, Julián Álvarez
• Rising candidates: Alejandro Garnacho, Thiago Almada, and Scaloni’s academy of Copa América graduates

France’s next wave:

• Core: Mbappé, Tchouaméni, Camavinga, Théo Hernández
• Rising candidates: Warren Zaïre-Emery, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola, and Rayan Cherki

Expect Argentina to keep the 4-3-3 with Messi’s successors rotating the right flank. France’s system will survive Deschamps eventually — the 4-2-3-1 structure has outlasted three World Cup cycles.

How to Verify Official Lineups Before Kickoff

Fake XI graphics flood social media before every big match. Protect your matchday with this simple verification routine.

1. FIFA.com posts confirmed lineups on the official match center roughly one hour before kickoff.
2. AFA (afa.org.ar) and FFF (fff.fr) publish squad announcements through their official channels first.
3. Broadcasters reveal the XI on screen around 60-75 minutes before the whistle.
4. Check shirt numbers against the squad list — fake leaks almost always get these wrong.
5. Ignore any lineup posted more than 90 minutes early. Official announcements never come that far ahead.

Bookmark this page. We update the Argentina vs France lineups section within minutes of every official announcement.

Coaching Battle: Scaloni vs Deschamps

Two managers with completely different paths created football’s smartest touchline duel.

Deschamps won the World Cup as France’s captain in 1998, then repeated the feat as coach in 2018. His 2022 squad reached a third straight major final under his management. He builds pragmatic, transition-heavy teams that absorb pressure and strike fast.

Scaloni took Argentina’s job as a temporary caretaker in 2018 with zero head-coaching experience. He then won the 2021 Copa América — Argentina’s first major title in 28 years — the 2022 Finalissima, and the World Cup itself. His flexible game plans beat Europe’s elite three times in twelve months.

Their contrasting philosophies explain why the Argentina vs France lineups always look balanced on paper and chaotic in reality. Both coaches adapt faster than their opponents expect.

Frequently Asked Questions

What were the Argentina National Football Team vs France National Football Team lineups in the 2022 World Cup final?

Argentina started Emiliano Martínez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico; De Paul, Fernández, Mac Allister; Messi, Álvarez, Di María in a 4-3-3. France started Lloris; Koundé, Varane, Upamecano, Hernández; Tchouaméni, Rabiot; Dembélé, Griezmann, Mbappé; Giroud in a 4-2-3-1.

Who scored in the Argentina vs France 2022 World Cup final?

Messi scored twice (23′ penalty, 108′) and Di María added the second (36′). Mbappé answered with a hat-trick (80′ penalty, 81′, 118′ penalty) — the first in a World Cup final since 1966. Argentina won the shootout 4-2.

Has Argentina ever beaten France?

Yes. Argentina won the 1930 (1-0) and 1978 (2-1) World Cup meetings, a 2007 friendly (1-0), and the 2022 final on penalties after a 3-3 draw. France won the 2009 friendly and the 2018 Round of 16.

When did Argentina and France last play each other?

December 18, 2022 — the World Cup final at Lusail Stadium in Qatar. No new fixture between the teams has been confirmed as of this update.

Where can I find confirmed Argentina vs France lineups first?

FIFA.com’s official match center, followed by AFA and FFF channels, publishes confirmed XIs roughly one hour before kickoff. Avoid unofficial social media graphics posted earlier.

What formation does each national team use?

Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina typically plays 4-3-3 with a roaming Messi. Didier Deschamps’ France favors 4-2-3-1 with Griezmann dropping into midfield build-up play.

Final Whistle: Make Your Matchday Call

The Argentina National Football Team vs France National Football Team lineups story spans 92 years, two World Cup epics, and more drama than any fixture in international football. You now hold every confirmed XI, the tactics behind each selection, and the exact process to verify future team news.

Your turn: Which XI would you pick if these giants met tomorrow? Drop your predicted lineup in the comments, share this guide with the fan who always falls for fake team news, and bookmark the page — we post every confirmed lineup within minutes of official release. Subscribe for matchday alerts and never get fooled by a leaked XI again.