Qatar 2022 - Five potential World Cup finals

-Unpredictable and engrossing Qatar 2022 poised for thrilling conclusion

-Final could provide stage for any number of of intriguing contests 

-FIFA looks at several battles loaded with meaning for December 18

Friday’s engrossing pair of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ quarter-finals, coupled with the intriguing last-eight ties poised for Saturday, are keeping alive a number of fascinating potential match-ups for next Sunday’s big date at Lusail Stadium.

This spellbinding tournament is already responsible for some of the greatest shocks and uplifting individual tales in World Cup history. From Argentina overcoming the upset of losing to Saudi Arabia to reach the last four, through Goncalo Ramos marking his full Portugal debut with the first World Cup knockout hat-trick since 1990, to Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic driving a dagger through Brazilian hearts, nothing about events in Qatar has been predictable. Which is why we’ve taken a closer look at five captivating possible head-to-heads for next week’s final.

Argentina v Portugal

What a delicious prospect this is, the two titans of world football over the past 15 years in direct competition for the prize they both crave the most.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have won everything going on the club scene, many times over. They’ve savoured continental success with their national teams, too. But neither player has disguised their yearning for World Cup glory.

This was supposed to the tournament when we waved a respectful farewell to a handful of the game’s older stars, the World Cup when Messi, Ronaldo and Luka Modric et al gracefully vacated the scene for young thrusters Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Cody Gakpo to claim centre stage. It doesn’t pay to write off these incomparable old adversaries, though, and they might just crown their glittering careers together on the biggest platform of all.

Croatia v France

Not many people tipped a Croatia-France final at Russia 2018 and even fewer would have picked this contest as a candidate to complete the tournament in Qatar.

Croatia, however, are following their Russian blueprint almost to the letter, matching all-comers and holding their nerve when put on the spot to decide knockout ties. France have a mighty quarter-final challenge in the shape of England to overcome, but with Mbappe in scintillating form, Didier Deschamps’ team appear to be perfectly timing their arrival to the boil.

We’ve not seen the same two teams do battle in successive finals since West Germany and Argentina in 1986 and 1990. After the six-goal showpiece they served up last time round, nobody will be complaining if France and Croatia renew hostilities next week.

Croatia or Argentina v Morocco

Morocco are assured of their position as one of the teams of this tournament, come what may. But Walid Regragui’s side – in equal measures courageous, miserly and expressive – are suitably unafraid of voicing their aim of unseating France as champions.

Morocco are shouldering the hopes of both Africa and the Arab world. Beat Portugal in the last eight and they’ll be the first nation from those football-barmy regions to reach a World Cup semi-final. The celebrations, on the evidence of the reaction to Morocco’s last-16 success against Spain, would be prolonged and enthusiastic. Imagine the subsequent reaction if they claim a place in next week’s final.

The significance of such a feat couldn’t be overstated. It would engender belief in these coming football territories that they can compete with the traditional heavyweights; that they, too, can be around when the prizes are handed out in the biggest tournaments.

Argentina v England

How this match would stoke passions on English shores. Asked many years after England’s semi-final defeat by West Germany at Italy 1990 if he still thought about the game, the Three Lions manager that day, Bobby Robson, replied, ‘Not really, only about five times a day’.

The same sentiment applies to England fans old enough to recall bowing out at Mexico ’86 following Diego Maradona’s Hand of God goal. Argentina shattered England dreams again in the last 16 at France 1998, advancing on penalties after a brutal and brilliant match in which David Beckham received one of the World Cup’s most talked-about red cards. There was revenge of sorts for Beckham when he scored the only goal of a group match between the teams four years later.

A final between Argentina and England, however, would be something else altogether. Probably one we’d still thinking about years down the line.

Argentina v France

The king against the heir to the throne. Messi is on a mission to crown one of football’s greatest careers with the World Cup he’s longed for since first playing in the tournament 16 years ago.

The closest he’s come was at Brazil 2014, when Argentina lost the final to a goal scored by Mario Goetze, christened ‘miracle boy’ by Germany coach Joachim Low in the immediate aftermath. Mbappe, only the second teenager to score in a World Cup final after Pele, could lay claim to that title today.

The lightning-fast 23-year-old already has one title. Messi would, surely, think at the fifth time of asking, it’s his turn. Messi’s first World Cup success or Mbappe’s second? It would be a lot of fun finding out.