France ✦ Road to the Final ✦ WORLD CUP 2022

Long then by Suter. This is a good run in off the right-hand side. Leckie with the cross, the far post! 1-0 Australia! Sensational! Craig Goodwin! Wow. France have got all sorts of problems with injured players and they're trailing by a goal to nil. By Leckie. Back in again by Hernandez. Chance for France and it's 1-1. Hadrian Rabiot. What a difference four years make. He wouldn't be on that standby list for Russia. He said no. But he's picked as a first choice for the opening game. And he scores his third for France. It's 11 in his last ten. And here he is, look at that. To Rabiot, Giroud is pulled away. And Giroud scores and that's 50 for him for his country. And one nearer the record. And France the world champions are ahead. Two goals in five minutes. They're beginning to perk. Been a good recovery, hasn't it? Gone through the gears. That man Mbappé involved again, of course. Simple tapping for Giroud after poor decision really from Australia. High press that is from the French. Good from Rabiot. To Mbappé, lovely give and go. Hernandez pulls it back. Griezmann off the line! Sensational clearance for Australia. Still in play. Dembele. Griezmann's found space but he looks in the middle for Mbappé! And that is the third! He has his goal. And he's deserved his goal. Winner. The European Tournament and now the best player on the planet. Mbappé. With Daniel Atkinson who's been determined. I want to see the back of it. In comes a cross, look at Giroud! And France have a four. Another for Olivier Giroud. And it ties in with Thierry Henry. As France's joint highest ever goalscorer. That's a phenomenal achievement for the man, isn't it? I know we're talking about Mbappé and he's set up the goal. To replace Giroud. Oh and it's very nearly another for France. A brilliant save by Wright. Leckie back to him. Can they get a consolation? Loris. And the final whistle goes. And the defending champions are off to a winning start. And few defending champions. Just combining, overloading wide areas. Sometimes we'll want the central but technically very, very... Free kick given away here by Anderson. By the left boot of Antoine Griezmann. So many waiting for it! And it could have gone off the head of... Lovely rise. And somehow it was... Dembele. Whips one over. And Kasper Schmeichel had to be right on his toes. Giroud in the middle. Dembele joining. Mbappé still going. Koundé with power. And plunged upon by Schmeichel. Looks for Giroud. Gets it back as well. Not too many options for him here. I think he was edged out. But this is a play from Griezmann. It actually caused problems for Schmeichel. Chance to hit on the counter-attack themselves. Cornelius. Strikes it. And wide it goes. And his speed here as well. And his ability to add a finishing touch. Griezmann took it down delightfully. And then just applied too much force. He knows that's a really good chance. And Mbappé here as well. To attack Denmark. And look for Hernandez. Who looks for Mbappé. Highest quality. France mean business at World Cup 2022. And they have... Overcomes the corner. Plenty in there. And in it goes. Denmark show their powers of recovery. And a centre half. Lurking like a centre forward. Suram trying to break free in the middle. Griezmann will pick it up. Swirls it in front. Mbappé! Once again he has his say. Round of 16. Lose the ball. All the way from the good sections. Here you are. All over the move. The world champions. The first side to book that. Hasryk brings it away. Not got a lot of support at the moment. Zlajduni brings it away. Oh the nutmeg. Beautiful stuff. And it goes down. To the challenge of Kamavinga. Sharp turn away. From Rondin. A couple of good runs down the... It's low. It's awkward. And it's in! He's just ventured offside. Really unlucky. Because it's one hell of a finish. I mean it comes off more of the shin. Oh this is a chance. The first touch was poor. And the second one was even from Kingsley Coman. Zlajduni. Oh and the header takes a deflection. From Slimane. It's a good ball in. Decisive clearance from Kamavinga. Who seems to be growing into this defensive role. Wonderful. Poor clearance from Varane this time. Kasri! Awkward. Oh that was it. Easy. Challenge. And Ntchan is here again. Kasri opens up for him. Oh it's there! Wabi Kasri! Now Rabiot. Mbappé on the move again. A good save. Flash of brilliance there. Mbappé. For what would be an incredible victory against the defending champions. Can they do it? And they can't. Antoine Griezmann. VAR is it? Goodness, how long did that take? No goal. Take two. Wabi Kasri's goal. Graczynski. Desperation. Mbappé. For Giroud. Flash of space. And on the swivel. Looked to swivel. Brzezinski across. Has changed the ball. Aims. This is a smile. Doesn't mean much in the greatest game to think. But it means a lot to this man. When you're a goal scorer. Don't get anything on it. Dembele. Mbappé waiting for it. Top of the box. Griezmann instead. Choumeny wants it. Choumeny! Score! And this starts all the way back. In France's defensive end. It's a tackle from the Parmacano. And then they spring on the counter attack. The ball gets out to Mbappé. Walkers. That one at the back post. Maguire attacking. Held in. Bellingham! And did Lloris get a touch? Yes, he did. His fourth save of the game. Thank goodness. I mean, right on. The in-swinger this time. Lloris tracking. Gets lost. Knocked down by Maguire. And it falls into Lloris' hands. Lucky, lucky, lucky. Hugo Lloris. Sanka splits the double. Bellingham returns. And Sanka goes down. Penalty for England. Kane scores. Harry Kane back-to-back goals. Orabio's going to get that save by Pickford. Second save of the game straight from the kickoff. Kane gets the flick. Sacco in a wrestling match. Free kick England. Henderson lifting it. In for a header! And did Lloris get a touch to that one? No. It ends up just wide from the head of Harry Maguire. Inside for Orabio. Orabio hooks it up to Bele. Knocks it down. Giroud! Save by Pickford! Well, this is the best move that France have had in a good 30. Hooks it in. Giroud scores! France re-take the lead. Give me one more. It's in the back of the net. Trout gets decked by Theo Hernandez. England cannot believe that a referee... Oh my goodness. This is part of that psychology. I think as he's going to strike this, he sees Lloris going to the way that he was going to go and that he picked. Waiting for Giroud's header only as far as Maguire. And he's fouled. Here comes a free kick shooting chance for England. Rashford! It missed. It was off the back stanchion. Yeah, that's it. That's it. Final whistle. France survive. Varane. Oh, clever from Griezmann. Griezmann in a really dangerous area. Mbappé is there. Mbappé again. And again. It hit Darry. And it's in. Theo Hernandez has struck France in front inside five minutes. The world champion's lead in the World Cup semi-final. Morocco behind. The worst possible start for them. Mbappé right in the middle of it. It's a slip, isn't it, from El Yamek. Unahi. Oh, good save by Hugo Lloris. It nearly came to an end. Giroud. He's hit the post. Olivier Giroud smashes the woodwork. De Esch with the delivery. Oh, he's a good one as well. Half headed away. The overhead kick has come off the woodwork. Didn't quite come back to El Yamek. Bouffal. It's Mbappé. It's on to Thuram. Mbappé weaving through. And a tap into Thuram. Been on the pitch for only a minute. But Randall Colomuane scored his first ever international goal. And surely sent the World Cup holder. That's a great ball. Can he pull it back? And Naziri in the middle. Alba Cronati. Taking on Koundé. He's done brilliantly. Handal is in the middle. Can't find him. Unahi. Incredible. And France are the first nation to reach successive World Cup finals since Brazil 20 years ago. Good afternoon, everyone. 2022. And these are the teams for the 22nd World Cup final. An intercontinental clash. A battle of wits and wills, skills and styles. Teams and individuals. And the beauty of it all is that there are many stories that could be told. But we don't know which one will be written. Few get to walk this path. Fewer still get more than one shot at the greatest glory the game has to give. Yet for six of the French squad, there's the chance to add their names to the list of 12. Only 12 men. Commanding header. But the referee is unhappy with. Humbert Meccano straight away over the top of Messi. Played up by Alvarez. Di Maria. Lovely swivel of the hips. And down goes Di Maria. Penalty Argentina. No hesitation from the referee. A simple stroke of the ball from 12 yards out tops the mark. Same routine. Off goes Teo Hernandez and to the box now. The referee has given that one to Argentina. And it looks like a clash of heads. He's calling for him. Messi turns it out to Alvarez who gets it through. And that's McAllister looking at Di Maria. Argentina well on top in the World Cup final. And all the boys of yesteryear are up celebrating that one. We'll talk about a team goal. Lovely little nick round the corner. From McAllister and Messi. And he's always a willing runner McAllister. But can he find the pass? And here's Di Maria. De Paul wants it over on the other side. There is De Paul. Technique was good. Just straight at Lloris. Yeah everything about Di Maria. Vantage is signalled. There's Alvarez. He's felt that he had to get down at that post. He wasn't sure. What's left of this plus whatever's added. Mbappé. Mbappé with the snapshot. Just a little too much into it. Otamendi had the head start. But he's been beaten now by Thuram. And Thuram's down. And that's going to be a penalty. Possibly a way back beckons for France. Mbappé. To get the game back on. He's done it. France are now in one big hurry. Allez says the president. Look at this game on. And it's massive for Mbappé. He goes the right way, Martínez. But he just, just gets it. Acuña's on the way down the left. And this is on the way there too. But he's been robbed by Coman. There's a hunger about, a desire that's been missing. Mbappé. Gets the return. Flash. In a heartbeat. In under 90 seconds of the match. France have come from 2-0 down. To be level. And it is there. Star. There. Ten. Who has the X Factor. Well they're out of it. They were finished. But when you've got world class talent. Breezing past the challenges before being fouled. Just outside. But the advantage is played. Rabiot's shot. Martínez couldn't hold it. But he's got it now. It's brilliant. And De Paul has given him the ball. Here goes Messi. Who got Lloris? Messi. Must have been moving. Lloris down. It seemed in laboured fashion. But he got just one stop from the Alfa Triumph. There's Messi. Messi wants it again. Lloris in the way. Was it off the line or over the line? The referee's had a look at the watch. But the referee has pointed to the middle and said goal. It will be looked at. But for now. It isn't all Argentinian all-ins. There's Mbappé. It was charged at. And the referee says. Just outside hasn't he? Instinct will take over. Mbappé. Is the man. This will surely lay claim to be the greatest World Cup final that's ever been seen. We've just seen the president. That boy's a king. The hat-trick in a World Cup final. There's Canate. With one more pump forward. Goal number one. He's in. Martinez with the save. The save that has kept Argentina in with a chance of world glory. Mbappé. I was about to say no way. And there was no way through at the end. From the penalty spot. That you just have to marvel at. Mbappé. And Mbappé will. And he rolls it in. Well that's stylish. Saved by Martinez. And Dybala does. Wide. Paredes the must score. And he. It's Argentina. But that is to cherish. This means the world. To Messi. To Argentina. To South America. It is the moment that means. Argentina. Campeón del Mundo. Champions of the world's greatest game.