This was one of the most interesting games in the 2018 World Cup, as France took on Argentina. It was a 4-2-3-1 for France with Paul Pogba and N’golo Kante heralding the midfield. Argentina, after their 2-1 win against Nigeria, played a 4-3-3 formation, while five players Otamendi, Mercado, Banega, Mascherano and Leo Messi have yellow cards and were one away from a suspension in the quarter final were they to get through.
Interesting fact is that, at this time, Messi hadn’t scored a knockout goal in the World Cup. Franco Armani came in for Willy Caballero who made a crucial error as Argentina lost 3-0 to Croatia. Argentina were looking to play the ball in behind the French defence. In the seventh minute, Mbappe showed what he was made of as his dribbling left the Argentina defence in two minds: whether to stick or twist. Griezmann’s ninth minute free kick came close, only striking the post, but beating the goalkeeper Armani.
France, like a lot of teams who want to defeat a Messi team, have decided to double up on him, and Mbappe, after getting the ball from the double team, gets the ball and counters. After his brilliant solo run, former Manchester United centre-back, Marcos Rojo fouls him in the box and gives away a needless penalty. Antoine Griezmann took the penalty to the right-hand side of Armani to make the score 1-0 to Les Bleus in the thirteenth minute.
Les Bleus mène 1-0. Apres le but, on a ecouté le chanson “Magic in the Air”.
In hindsight, Mbappe, although talented offensively, is defensively lacking and if I were Jorge Sampaoli, I would overload the left-hand side, as Benjamin Pavard would be isolated and can only deal with one player.
Deschamps was intelligent in this game though, as Mbappe as an outlet causes the defenders to panic, as neither Tagliafico, Otamendi, Romero or Mercado have the pace to keep up with the former Monaco man and would have to foul him to avoid him scoring a goal. Is it possible for Argentina to play deeper instead of the high line and ask France to break them down? Although we aren’t used to Argentina on the back foot, it may have helped them in this encounter.
For most teams, we ask ourselves how to keep Messi quiet. One way is by doubling up on him. Another is by allotting players to defend a particular space zonally instead of going man-for-man.
Argentina have seen much of the ball, and are trying to get crosses into the box. Messi was kept largely quiet for the first thirty minutes of the game, which is something we hardly see. Credit to France and the pragmatic Deschamps as there is the blueprint to deal with Leo’s genius.
Also, the referee has been quite good so far, as the game flow is really nice.
Messi has sometimes dropped deep, which although may be good for the link-up play, would sacrifice a lethal presence in the box which would keep Umtiti and Raphael Varane wary. Messi needs runners in behind, who, if not for themselves, may also be as a decoy which leaves the defence guessing.
However, in the forty-first minute, France was done by a moment of brilliance. Former PSG and Real Madrid winger Angel Di Maria, picks the ball and strikes it from about thirty yards out, and to be honest, there was no way Hugo Lloris was saving that one.
That goal injected some belief in the Argentina side, who had the lion share of possession without making Lloris work. Although Argentina got yellow cards (Tagliafico, Marcos Rojo and Mascherano), the ref has allowed the game to flow, as the match up is exciting.
HALF TIME! One goal to one!
The second half started with France willing to cede possession to the Argentine team in the opening moments. From the free-kick in the forty-seventh minute, Argentina got their second goal after Messi’s shot came off Mercado who flicks the ball past Lloris.
The Argentine solution stop Mbappe is to foul him on transition and collect the yellow card. Senegal, Iraq and Norway in World Cup 2026, please take note: If you’re not going to play a low-block to stop him, the least you can do is to commit the dirty tactical fouls which would not enable him to progress.
The game is like a game of chess: a lot of tactical quality from both managers. Another goal seems inevitable. And it was so.
A well worked move and another brilliant moment in the fifty-seventh minute by Pavard got the equalizing goal.
SECOND POTEAU PAVARD!!!
Il nous fait une Nacho. Non, c’est ne pas une Nacho, c’est une Pavard!
Sur cette frappe somptueuse de recoller deux partout!
QUEL MATCH! QUEL MATCH! 2-2!
This game just shows that it takes one, just one moment of brilliance to draw or win a match of football. No matter how much tactical nouse you have, football is largely a game of moments.
And another moment in this end-to-end match made the lead 3-2. It was by Kylian Mbappe, who was in a central position as he finishes past Armani. Enzo Perez was taken off for Aguero, which added a bit of dynamism into the game.
France can move the ball from back to front in an instant, and this is what happened for their fourth goal. Lloris, Kante, Griezmann, Matuidi, Giroud and Mbappe. Six passes, one goal. It’s 4-2 to France against the 1986 World Champions. Mbappe, Giroud and Griezmann play close to each other which makes it harder for Argentina to pick the opposing players up.
Giroud in the seventieth minute had a chance to make the score 5-2, but he hits the side netting.
That two-goal lead enabled Les Bleus to sit just that little bit deeper and invite Argentina while hitting them on the break.
In terms of formations, Argentina built up in the first half with Mascherano alongside the center-backs while France did similar with Kante sometimes dropping deeper while at other times, he was with Pogba in the midfield. This is like a half-back and defensive midfielder hybrid which allowed Hernandez and for his second goal Pavard, to go forward as N’golo was their defensive insurance.
Javier Mascherano should, in my opinion, have been sent off in the eighty-second minute for his foul on Griezmann, but only got off with a warning.
The MOTM in my opinion (Mbappe), was then subbed off for Florian Thauvin. Mbappe as an outlet will likely continue in the 2026 World Cup. For this to be successful for Les Bleus, Mbappe needs to be surrounded by players who are willing to do the running. Could Rayan Cherki, Dembele, Olise and Ekitike offer this? Only time will tell.
In the ninety-third minute, Messi teed up Aguero at the back post to make the game 4-3. What may have happened if Aguero played from the start? We may never know.
The ref in the ninety-fifth minute blows the whistle.
WHAT A CLASSIC!
Ore M. 
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