Our feature columnist, John Newsome previews this year’s Football World Championship Qatar’22 Final with his unique and insightful commentary. You can view all previous analysis from John’s regular column here: English Premier League Predictions For Saturday.
Please note all prices quoted below were correct at the time of publication
Football World Championship Qatar’22 Final
Sunday, December 18th 2022
ARGENTINA v FRANCE
15.00 in England
BBC 1 and ITV
So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another World Cup over
And now 4 years to the next one
And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
France v Argentina
Lionel could be the one
So next week it’s Christmas
It’s over in the Sun
Cristiano, Luka and Kylian
The old and the young
The Premier League returns
And a Happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
With lots of beer
And so this is Christmas
One hopes you had fun
For the weak and the strong
For the rich and the poor ones
The World Cup wasn’t so long
And so happy Christmas (World Cup is over)
For Black and for White (Newcastle)
For Blue and the Red ones (Chelsea and Liverpool)
Let’s start up the fight
The Premier League is back
A very Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
With football and beer
And so this is Christmas
And what have we done
Another year over
And the Premier League has just begun
And so happy Christmas (World Cup is over)
We hope you have fun (if you want it)
The United and the City ones (World Cup is over)
The Chelsea and the Spurs
A very Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good time
Without any fear
With food and heating
And happiness aplomb
For the poor and the homeless
And the old ones
And so this is Christmas
The World Cup is over
And what have we done
England, just the usual
Another missed penalty
Nothing changes the mould
The next ones in 2024
America, Canada and Mexico
So this is Christmas
And a Happy New Year.
Look after the people close by, the ones that are not that well known or the neighbour that is seen a couple of times a month collecting their pension.
Make sure this Christmas that one does their bit, it might not be much but a cheeky can of beans, maybe a bar of chocolate or if one is opulent a nice drink for New Year’s Eve.
It’s set up for Lionel Messi to finally win a World Cup and become the official GOAT (Greatest Of All Time).
Cristiano and Piers are both going to watch the Final and then record another interview about how it’s just not fair that Mr Ronaldo wasn’t picked by either Lionel Scaloni or Didier Deschamps.
Poor Ronnie!
Argentina comfortably got the victory against Croatia in the Semi-Final with Lionel Messi producing a masterclass performance.
Croatia have a young Centre-Back called Josko Gvardiol who is only 20 years old but will be a Top Defender over the next few years and RB Leipzig, Josko’s current employer, will command an extortionate fee to allow the lad to leave.
However, Lionel taught the kid a lesson on Tuesday and the run and assist for the 3rd goal of the 3-0 victory, turned Mr Gvadiol inside and out that much, the lad had to pay to get back into the stadium.
The Final will be a tight affair but seeing as this is a prediction site, John Newsome predicts an Argentina victory with Limpy Lionel scoring the winner to round off a superb career.
If one remembers, although it’s assumed by most that Diego Maradona single-handedly won the 1986 World Cup (his Single Right Hand!) Diego didn’t score in the Final with La Albiceleste winning the coveted trophy against West Germany (Germany was still a divided country back then) by a 3-2 scoreline.
Diego was instrumental in helping the Blue and Whites to victory by hitting a superb pass to Jorge Burrachaga who ultimately scored the winning goal, with the scores level at 2-2 before Jorge’s strike.
Lionel will want to go one better and score in the Final, however, if Mr Messi doesn’t score and Argentina still win, it probably wouldn’t sour the celebrations.
Lionel is at the Top of the Golden Boot chart with 5 goals, the same as Kylian Mbappe so there will be an added extra incentive to proceedings with both wanting to outdo their mate and have the bragging rights in the Paris Saint-Germain dressing room.
What would be more satisfying?
The Winner of the World Cup but finishing 2nd in the Golden Boot or Winning the Golden Boot and losing in the Final?
It’s a conundrum that one or the other might have to endure.
France came under a lot of pressure against Morocco in the other Semi-Final, however, as the French usually do, found a way to win and got the victory by a 2-0 scoreline.
Antoine Griezman has excelled in this tournament, reinventing himself as a Number 8 Midfielder, when the lad was an all-out Striker in a previous life.
Antoine was ultimately the difference between France and England (Harry kicking the ball up to the Moon was another but one is trying to forget about that indiscretion!)
If the Argentina Manager Mr Scaloni can find a way of curtailing Mr Griezman then Argentina have a chance.
A quick story regarding Lionel Scaloni.
Back in 2006, whilst playing in the FA Cup Final for West Ham against Liverpool, with the Hammers leading by 3 goals to 2 and seconds remaining, Lionel received a throw-in when Liverpool gave the ball back to West Ham.
Instead of calmly keeping hold of the ball or at worst smashing into Row Z as the loveable OzScot used to do regularly, the original Limpy Lionel tried hitting long but found a Liverpool player who quickly recycled the ball that eventually fell to Steven Gerrard around 35 yards out.
No real danger, Mr Scaloni thought, until Stevie G rattled home the equaliser.
As the old man from The Simpsons would say,
Doh!
West Ham subsequently suffered a defeat against Liverpool in a penalty shootout and Lionel Scaloni was away from London having failed to finalise a permanent contract with the Hammers.
The next World Cup in 2026, is taking place in 3 Countries, the USA, Canada and Mexico and will have 48 teams competing.
At the moment, there is a proposal for 16 x 3 Groups, however, that won’t be feasible due to the different time zones (and the possibility of a few games being, shall one just say ‘arranged’) so will be overruled over the next 12 months and should see a new format consisting of 12 Groups of 4, with the Top 2 progressing automatically and then 8 of the best 3rd placed teams making a last-32 knockout, not a last-16.
That’s for another 4 years (well 3 and a half) so one doesn’t have to worry about that too much at the moment.
Pour oneself a nice glass of Mulled Wine, grab a Mince Pie and settle down to watch the Qatar 2022 World Cup Final, a week before the Big Fella in Red with a White Beard sets off across the Globe with Rudolph and his mates and hopefully brings happiness to everyone after a tough few years.
Betfred offer Argentina at 9/5, the draw at 21/10 and 9/5 for France to come away with all 3-points.
Betfred offer 7/2 that Lionel Messi Scores First and 2/1 that a Penalty is Awarded.
Argentina Win 3-1- Get 25/1 on Betfred & Claim your new account welcome offer!
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