CHANGING OF THE GUARD
Messi and Ronaldo are fading forces as French phenom Mbappe blooms
“As always we will bank on the strength of our team as a collective,” he said. “That is our best chance against any adversary, and we know that France will be very tough indeed.
“But we will try our best and look to impose our way of playing on them, using our strengths,” he added. “We’re here to play all seven matches, right up until the final, and we will see what happens.”
France fires
France, the 1998 world champion, looked a totally different side from the one that struggled to find its cutting edge in the group stage, pouring forward with pace and purpose to stretch defense.
Antoine Griezmann gave France the lead from the penalty spot but the South Americans equalized with a sweet hit from Angel Di an aging Argentine Maria and edged ahead shortly after halftime through Gabriel Mercado.
But defender Benjamin Pavard made it 2-2 with a thunderous strike to pull France level and once more change the complexion of the game.
That set the scene for Mbappe, who netted two goals in four second-half minutes to become the first teenager to score at least twice in a World Cup match since a 17-year-old Pele in 1958.
An injury-time Sergio Aguero strike gave Argentina hope but it ran out of time and heads home after a roller-coaster ride in Russia that ultimately ends in bitter disappointment for the two-time champion.
Man-of-the-match Mbappe, who is Cavani’s teammate at PSG, brushed off comparisons with Brazil great Pele.
“I’m very happy, and it’s flattering to be compared to a great player like Pele,” he said.
“But he’s in another category. Still, it’s great to join the list of players that have achieved such feats.”
Mbappe was born in 1998, the year Les Bleus secured their first World Cup title when current manager Didier Deschamps was captain.
“We answered the call, we have a lot of character and it was not easy as we were leading, then there was an equalizer, then we were 2-1 behind, but we kept fighting,” said Deschamps.
“There is an excellent mentality in this group and we did everything to go further. Since I am responsible for everything, particularly when it doesn’t go well, I’m very proud.”
Aging Argentina
A runner-up four years ago, Argentina only reached the last 16 by the skin of its teeth after a shambolic group phase and, despite a brave effort against France, being the tournament’s oldest squad ultimately told for Jorge Sampaoli’s troops.
Messi has spent the finals trying to hold Argentina together, even apparently bypassing head coach Sampaoli to dish out instructions in the 2-1 group-stage win against Nigeria.
The Barca superstar scored just once at the finals as Argentina’s campaign was defined as much by Diego Maradona’s erratic and emotional outbursts in the stands as the team’s disjointed performances.