World Cup 2022: Arsene Wenger picks alternative France and Argentina heroes with pressure on Messi and Mbappe

Arsenal legend Arsene Wenger believes Julian Alvarez and Olivier Giroud could be unlikely heroes in the World Cup final, with Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi under great pressure to deliver.

Argentina and France will face each other in the showpiece fixture of Qatar 2022 on Sunday and all eyes are on Mbappe and Messi, with the latter looking to win the one major trophy that has eluded him during his career in his final appearance on football’s biggest stage,

The pair have shone at the World Cup and are the tournament’s joint-top scorers, but Wenger has highlighted their respective strike partners as key danger men ahead of the final.

Alvarez and Giroud have both scored four goals in Qatar and Wenger, who is FIFA’s head of global football development, believes they could make the difference.

“Of course, two players are under pressure to deliver a special thing in the final,” said Wenger.

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“That is Mbappe on the French side and Messi, certainly more than ever, [is under pressure] to deliver something special for Argentina.

“Both teams show as well what the tournament can be. Two very influential and important players in both sides have been Giroud, who was not expected to be there at the start of the tournament, and on the other side Alvarez, who as well made his position during the tournament.

“Both of them have been very, very influential and will certainly have an important part to play, but they maybe didn’t expect at the start of the competition to play in there.”