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D-DAY: Can Lionel Messi end it on a golden note with World Cup with Argentina?

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Messi’s Argentina will file out against France in Sunday’s final (15:00 GMT), 4pm Nigerian time, at the Lusail Stadium.

Messi, 35, has won a record seven Ballon d’Or awards – presented to the best player in the world – but never won the biggest team prize in football.

“People say France are favourites, but we have the advantage of having the greatest player of all time,” said Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

“We always like to hear the opponent is the favourite because we don’t feel superior or inferior to anyone.

“But, as I always say, we have the greatest player of all time. And with a good defence, we have many chances to reach our goal.”

France manager Didier Deschamps captained his country to World Cup victory in 1998 and then, as boss, guided them to another success in Russia four years ago.

He said: “I know Argentina, many people around the world, and maybe some French people, hope Lionel Messi could win the World Cup, but we’re going to do everything to achieve our objective.”

The final sees the tournament’s top two goalscorers go head-to-head in the race to win the Golden Boot. Both Messi and Mbappe have scored five times in Qatar, while France’s Olivier Giroud and Argentina’s Julian Alvarez are one goal behind on four.

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Messi helped Argentina reach the 2014 final in Brazil, although Germany’s Mario Gotze scored the only goal as the Europeans won 1-0 after extra time.

But the Paris St-Germain player has been the driving force in Argentina’s campaign in Qatar.

He converted an early penalty in their first match before his country fell to a shock 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia and then scored in the vital 2-0 win over Mexico. Argentina’s 2-0 defeat of Poland saw them top Group C, with Messi also on target in the 2-1 last-16 win over Australia.

Argentina looked in control against the Netherlands in their quarter-final as they led 2-0 after 82 minutes, but the Dutch scored twice through Wout Weghorst, including an equaliser in the 11th minute of injury time to take the tie to extra time.

It eventually went to penalties but Martinez saved two spot-kicks as Argentina advanced, before a goal from Messi and two from Manchester City’s Alvarez gave them a routine 3-0 win over Croatia in the semi-finals.

Argentina have won the tournament twice, on home soil in 1978 and in Mexico in 1986, and are looking for their third success on Sunday.

“I’m already getting emotional because they’ve given everything sincerely,” said manager Lionel Scaloni. “Let’s hope we win the title and if it can’t be, they should be proud, because it’s a moment to enjoy.”

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Mbappe, 23, is chasing his second World Cup success and has been instrumental in guiding France to the final. He scored once in their 4-1 win over Australia and twice in the 2-1 victory over Denmark as France reached the last 16 with a game to spare.

That enabled Deschamps to rest players and, despite losing 1-0 to Tunisia, they won Group D, with Mbappe on target twice more in the 3-1 last-16 triumph over Poland.

In the quarter-finals they faced Gareth Southgate’s England and took the lead through Aurelien Tchouameni, but Harry Kane equalised with a penalty. Olivier Giroud put France ahead and they won it 2-1 after Kane missed a second spot-kick.

France beat the tournament’s surprise packages Morocco 2-0 in the semi-final to reach their fourth World Cup final in seven tournaments, having won the competition in 1998 and 2018 and losing in the final in 2006.

But their preparations have been hampered with a sickness bug.

Midfielder Adrien Rabiot, defender Dayot Upamecano and winger Kingsley Coman have been among those struggling with illness.

Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Semi Final – France v Morocco – Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, Qatar – December 14, 2022 France’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates after the match as France reach the final REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

“We’ve had a few cases of flu-like symptoms,” said Deschamps. “We’re trying to be careful so it doesn’t spread and players have made great efforts out on the pitch and obviously their immune systems suffer.

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“We’re taking all necessary precautions, trying to make sure it doesn’t spread but we have had to take precautions against it.”

Match facts
They have met three times before at the World Cup. Argentina won both group matches in 1930 and 1978, but France were victorious in their only knockout encounter, winning 4-3 in the last 16 in 2018.

Argentina are competing in their sixth World Cup final, with only Germany (eight) participating in more. They won in 1978 and 1986 and lost in 1930, 1990 and 2014.

They could become the second side in World Cup history to lose their opening game and go on to lift the trophy, emulating Spain in 2010.

Messi can become the third Argentine player to win the Golden Boot at the World Cup after Guillermo Stabile in 1930 and Mario Kempes in 1978.

France have reached the World Cup final for a fourth time, all since 1998. This is twice as many as any other nation in this period.

Les Bleus are looking to become only the third nation to win back-to-back World Cups, after Italy (1934-38) and Brazil (1958-62).

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Athletics Open: Amusan wins gold, sets new record in Taiwan

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Nigerian and world women’s 100m hurdles world record holder, Tobi Amusan,on Saturday won the women’s 100m hurdles gold at the New Taipei Athletics Open in Taiwan.

Amusan struck gold ahead of Taiwanese duo Bo Ya Zhang, who settled for second place in 13.17s, and Yi Po-an took third place in 13.37s.

The 29-year-old’s winning time of 12.72s is also a new meeting record, chalking off 0.08s off the previous mark of 12.80s held by Nia Ali, US Olympic silver medalist and former world champion.

Amusan was dominant in the qualifiers for the final, blowing away the field in Heat 2, and continued the form in the final to deliver a swashbuckling race that thrilled the crowd.

She took the lead outright after the fourth hurdle, leaving Zhang behind.

The three-time Senior Africa Athletics Championship winner crossed the finish line before the last competing athlete cleared the final hurdle, to the amazement of screaming spectators.

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It is the second consecutive race Amusan will break a meeting record this athletics season, she also broke her meeting record in the women’s 100m hurdles event at the Rabat Diamond League.

She has won three of five races this season, and has not failed to claim a podium finish.

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Arsenal win EPL title after 22 years

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Arsenal are English Premier League (EPL) champions after Manchester City failed to win at Bournemouth.

Pep Guardiola’s Man City drew 1-1 with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium to hand Arsenal an unassailable four-point lead with just one match remaining to the end of the season.

The Gunners win the EPL title for the first time in 22 years, since the legendary Invincible side won it in the 2003/04 season.

In the club’s 100th season without relegation from the EPL, the club will celebrate its centenary participation with a league title won on the back of a record 28 EPL wins that surpassed the 26 wins recorded by the Invincibles. The defence prevented opponents from registering a shot on target in six matches, equaling a 23-year league record, and also scored a record 17 goals from corner kicks.

Mikel Arteta’s tough side has led the table for most of the season before a late mini-collapse, and Man City’s late surge in form nearly threatened their title ambition for a second season in a row.

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City’s late resurgence, however, was initially stunned by Everton in early May and completely collapsed against Bournemouth.

Guardiola’s side visited the Vitality Stadium aware that any result other than a victory would seal Arsenal’s title. But they lacked the execution for the mission after falling to a wonderful strike from Junior Kroupi in the first half.

City were only kept in the game by Bournemouth’s profligacy in front of goal. When Erling Haaland’s equaliser was squeezed home in the eleventh hour of the game, even the most faithful City supporter knew it was too little, too late.

Arsenal and Arteta secured the league earlier than they would have predicted, giving City a prodigious title run-in.

The league triumph is Arteta’s second major title with the North London club since joining in December 2019, adding to the English FA Cup trophy won within six months of his tenure in May 2020.

The 44-year-old Spaniard wins his fourth title overall and can win his fifth — and third major trophy — with victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final next weekend.

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WrestleMania 42: Nigerian wrestler Oba Femi beats 10-time WWE Champion Brock Lesnar

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Nigerian professional wrestler, Isaac Odugbesan, popularly known as Oba Femi, defeated 10-time WWE Champion, Brock Lesnar, on his WrestleMania debut on Sunday.

The clash, one of the headline matches at WrestleMania 42, ended on a dramatic note as the 27-year-old Nigerian overpowered the veteran.

Lesnar left his wrestling gear in the ring after the match — a gesture widely regarded in professional wrestling as a sign of retirement.

Oba Femi, also known as “The Ruler,” is a former NXT champion and has spent just three months on WWE’s main roster.

The contest began with both wrestlers testing each other’s strength before Lesnar briefly seized control with a series of offensive moves.

However, Femi absorbed the pressure and responded with a dominant display, shifting momentum in his favour.

Lesnar delivered an F5, but Femi quickly recovered, hitting a chokeslam before finishing the contest with his “Fall From Grace” sit-out powerbomb for the pinfall victory.

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The bout quickly became a major talking point on social media, with fans reacting to the upset win.

Femi, a former shot put athlete, is a two-time NXT Champion and a one-time NXT North American Champion.

Born in Lagos, Odugbesan competed in track and field during his school years before signing with WWE in 2021 through its NIL programme.

He went on to win the 2023 NXT Men’s Breakout Tournament and the 2024 Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge.

During the WrestleMania Sunday post-show, Femi sent a message to Roman Reigns, popularly known as the “Original Tribal Chief,” drawing a loud reaction from fans as he hinted at a possible title challenge before the end of the year.

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