The first winter World Cup is coming to a close and its final match pits two Paris Saint-Germain teammates against each other. Lionel Messi is looking to ride into the sunset by winning the elusive World Cup for the first time, while Kylian Mbappé is trying to win his second world champion medal at age 23.
Messi and Mbappé are coming into this final from different places in their careers, but we know for a fact they both want to win on Sunday, Dec. 18, for their own legacy and for Argentina and France. One of these nations will become a three-time winner of the most coveted soccer trophy. But which one? We asked FIFA 23 for a prediction.
For the final time, we took the 11 starters from Argentina and France’s semifinal victories over Croatia and Morocco and applied their FIFA 23 World Cup player ratings for a direct comparison. This is how the 2022 World Cup final will probably look through FIFA 23’s lenses:
Argentina FIFA 23 World Cup player ratings
- GK: Emiliano Martínez – 84 OVR
- RB: Nahuel Molina – 80 OVR
- CB: Cristian Romero – 84 OVR
- CB: Nicolás Otamendi – 82 OVR
- LB: Nicolás Tagliafico – 82 OVR
- CDM: Leandro Paredes – 82 OVR
- CM: Rodrigo De Paul – 84 OVR
- CM: Enzo Fernandez – 78 OVR
- CAM: Alexis Mac Allister – 79 OVR
- ST: Lionel Messi – 91 OVR
- ST: Julián Alvarez – 78 OVR
France’s FIFA 23 World Cup player ratings
- GK: Hugo Lloris – 87 OVR
- RB: Jules Koundé – 84 OVR
- CB: Raphaël Varane – 84 OVR
- CB: Ibrahima Konaté – 82 OVR
- LB: Theo Hernandez – 85 OVR
- CM: Aurélien Tchouaméni – 83 OVR
- CM: Youssouf Fofana – 81 OVR
- RW: Ousmane Dembélé – 84 OVR
- LW: Kylian Mbappé – 91 OVR
- ST: Antoine Griezmann – 84 OVR
- ST: Olivier Giroud – 83 OVR
Going player for player reveals that FIFA 23 has a favorite, and that’s France. The defending champion’s only questionable area on the pitch is the center of midfield, where Tchouaméni and Fofana are slightly outmatched by Paredes and De Paul.
A couple of changes in the starting lineups for both sides could be in the cards. France had not altered its starters in the elimination phase until an illness struck down center-back Dayot Upamecano and central midfielder Adrien Rabiot ahead of the Morocco game. They could return for the final, but curiously enough, that wouldn’t change anything in the FIFA 23 comparison since their OVR ratings are an exact match of replacements Konaté and Fofana.
Argentina could improve its fortunes if it reverts to its quarterfinal lineup, according to FIFA 23. Marcos Acuña and Lisandro Martínez are rated higher by EA than Nicolás Tagliafico and Leandro Paredes, whom they were replaced by for the semifinal. Seeing how FIFA 23 is predicting the supporting cast will make the difference in the 2022 World Cup final, these small improvements could be what Argentina needs to resist the French onslaught.
Argentina will face off against France in the World Cup final on Dec. 18 at 9am CT.
