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Argentina vs. France Odds, Picks, Predictions: Powerhouses Collide in World Cup Final

Emanuel Rosu

Last Updated: December 18, 2022 3:02 AM EST • 3 min 2 sec read.

Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates his team's third goal scored by Julian Alvarez during the FIFA World Cup 2022 semifinal football match between Argentina and Croatia on Dec. 13, 2022.
Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates his team's third goal scored by Julian Alvarez during the FIFA World Cup 2022 semifinal football match between Argentina and Croatia on Dec. 13, 2022. Photo by Jean Catuffe / DPPI.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup wraps up on Sunday with the championship match between Lionel Messi's Argentina and Kylian Mbappe's France. Read on for our Argentina-France World Cup pick based on the top odds.

The whole planet will watch as Argentina and France clash for the most important trophy in world soccer. The meeting at the Iconic Stadium in Lusail will conclude one of the most controversial World Cup tournaments. Talk about Qatar’s right to host the tournament will be put on hold, with the focus now fully centered on the big match.

Lionel Messi will play in his second World Cup final after losing the first against Germany in 2014. The 35-year-old only misses the World Cup trophy in his personal collection, though he's already established himself as one of the best players in the history of the game. Messi has scored five goals during this World Cup, the same as his Paris Saint-Germain teammate and France’s best player, Kylian Mbappe. The World Cup final will put Messi and Mbappe face to face in one of the best individual duels possible.

Here is our pick for Sunday’s World Cup final matchup between Argentina and France (odds via PointsBet; pick confidence is based on a 1-to-5 star scale).

Check out World Cup best bets and our Argentina-France SGP picks.

Argentina vs. France Game Info

Date: Sunday, Dec. 18, 10 a.m. ET
TV: FOX Sports 1, Telemundo, FoxSports.com
Location: Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail, Qatar
Weather: 76 degrees, 1% chance of precipitation, 14-mph winds

Argentina vs. France Odds Analysis

Sportsbooks are puzzled ahead of the World Cup final. Both Argentina and France are widely given nearly even odds, with no favorite clearly identified. It’s the closest final since the 1994 matchup between Brazil and Italy. The favorite ahead of the final won five times over the six world cups that followed. The last underdog to win is France in 1998, when the French beat Brazil 3-0 in Paris.

A tie in normal time is priced at or above +200 at most sportsbooks. If you’re going for goals, DraftKings has put the Over on 2.5 goals at +145, while Over on 3.5 stands at +300, and Over 4.5 gets a +900 price.

Oddsmakers see it tight when it comes to the Golden Boot, too. Messi is now at -137 to be the World Cup's top scorer, while Mbappe sits at +140 (via BetMGM).

Check out our Argentina vs. France odds.

Argentina vs. France Pick

Messi to record three-plus shots on target (+500) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This match is special to Messi on so many levels. It's expected to be the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner's final World Cup affair. The trophy means the world to him, so Messi will be extremely motivated to decide the outcome in Argentina’s favor. His tremendous career has featured a Champions League title, the Club World Cup, the European Supercup, triumphs in Spain and French leagues, and a win at the national team level in the Copa America.

Messi has scored five goals so far in the tournament, and he hopes to make his form count to become the Golden Boot winner in Qatar. Apart from contributing during open play, he's also Argentina’s free-kick taker. Messi shooting on goal at least three times against France looks like a terrific option, and it comes with appealing value at +500 via FanDuel and PointsBet.

A more cautious two-plus shots on target is at +160 via PointsBet. If you feel he's going to hit the net at least once while leading Argentina to win in normal time, BetMGM is offering a great return at +280. FanDuel is posting Messi as the first goalscorer at +430, while an anytime Messi goal from outside the box returns an excellent +700.

Messi will do his best to shine as Argentina’s leader while attempting to take the team to its first World trophy since Maradona’s famous 1986 squad. Match events should circle around him, so take a thorough look at everything that’s on the table before.

Argentina vs. France Best Odds

FanDuel and PointsBet (+500)

BetMGMDraftKingsFanDuelCaesarsPointsBet
+180+180+175+170+180

FanDuel and PointsBet are posting the highest odds for Messi to record three-plus shots on target. PointsBet is featuring plenty of Messi props related to assists, shots, shots on target, passes, offsides, and even tackles (Messi to record two-plus tackles is at a huge +475). There's a lot to choose from due to the spotlight on this game.

Argentina-France pick made 12/16/2022 at 12:25 p.m. ET

Where to bet on Argentina vs. France

Here are our best World Cup Betting Sites:

FanDuel: Get a $1,000 No-Sweat Free Bet | Read our FanDuel Review
Caesars: Earn a Free Bet of Up to $1,250 | Read our Caesars Review
DraftKings: Get a 20% Deposit Match up to $1,000 | Read our DraftKings Review
PointsBet: Earn Five Free Bets of Up to $100 Each | Read our PointsBet Review
BetMGM: Get a Free Bet of Up to $1,000 | Read our BetMGM Review
* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.

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Written By:
Emanuel Rosu
Emanuel Rosu has freelanced as a soccer specialist for the BBC, The Guardian, FourFourTwo, Goal, and the New York Times. He's part of the "Ballon d'Or" jury, representing Romania in the vote that rewards the best soccer player in the world each year. He is based in Bucharest, Romania.