After a total of 63 matches in the 2022 edition of the FIFA World Cup, fans will finally know the answer to who will eventually lift the trophy. The final match takes place inside the Lusail Stadium in Qatar. Lionel Messi-led Argentina is set to play with a full-strength team, but there are some concerns about the French national side. Apparently, Raphael Varane and Ibrahima Konate are ill ahead of the match.
Before their semi-final clash against Morocco, France missed two important players. Adrien Rabiot and Dayot Upamecano did not feature in the starting line-up. According to multiple reports, they became sick ahead of the match on December 14th. France head coach Didier Deschamps gave an update to the journalists regarding the matter.
According to the World Cup-winning coach, the air-conditioning in the stadiums may be one of the contributing factors to the situation. He thinks the excessive use of AC, along with a flu-like virus has affected the camp.
After Rabiot and Upamecano, reputed French journalist Fabrice Hawkins reported that ace defenders Raphael Varane and Ibrahima Konate also fell sick because of it. Attacking player Kingsley Coman was also among the infected players. It originated some bizarre conspiracy theories among the fans.
Fans react to French players falling sick ahead of FIFA World Cup 2022 final
France’s defense already looked shaky in the World Cup quarterfinal and semi-final matches against England and Morocco respectively. On top of that, if Varane and Konate are not fit, it basically clears the path for the Argentine attackers in the final. Fans have been already gossiping that the organizers have rigged the tournament to let Lionel Messi win his maiden World Cup.
The recent news of French players getting sick with a virus has convinced the fans even more that there is something fishy going on behind the scenes. There is also another reason for the rampant speculation. Although some French players contracted the virus, there is no report on whether an Argentine player also got the virus or not. It added even more fuel to the fire.
Here are some fan comments on the matter
Messi leaving the AC control room pic.twitter.com/tTmAbmOXdU
— dax (@DaxUtd) December 16, 2022
It’s all rigged for messiiiiiiiiii
— Vicky🔴 (@TheRedDevilGuy) December 16, 2022
Qatar and FIFA doing everything possible to give the World Cup to a certain country 😪
— Zenitsu Stan⚡️ (@vid_mitra8) December 16, 2022
“The air conditioners were made in Argentina, the World Cup is rigged” pic.twitter.com/1qO9AS5k8e
— Jobz🕊️ (@M_Jobz) December 16, 2022
They’ll do anything so that messi wins it
— CΛTΛLIN (@catalin) December 16, 2022
ITS MESSI FAULT
— Leo (@utdleo_) December 16, 2022
Its because some of the argentine politics paid to the qatar officials to twist the air quality in the hotel ..
— Goliath the hellraiser (@PranjibBaruah) December 16, 2022
But thankfully for France, all of the players reported for the last practice session ahead of the World Cup final. It included Varane, Konate, and their semi-final hero Theo Hernandez.
Entraînement des Bleus 🇫🇷Avant la finale : TOUS LES JOUEURS SONT présents à la séance. Retour de Varane, Konaté, Coman, Tchouaméni et Hernandez. pic.twitter.com/sKJv49CI8O
— Fabrice Hawkins (@FabriceHawkins) December 17, 2022
Hence, it promises to be an exciting end to an enthralling tournament so far. Can Lionel Messi finally win the World Cup in his last international match? Fans will get their answers on December 18th.