“We are not going to let him enjoy the best night he can have” – France star sends stern warning to Lionel Messi ahead of FIFA World Cup final

France forward Olivier Giroud has issued a warning to Lionel Messi ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday, December 18. The defending champions reached their second consecutive final after securing a 2-0 victory over Morocco in the semifinals.

France will now face a Messi-led Argentina side in the World Cup final on Sunday at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.

Giroud has hailed the Paris Saint-Germain man as a player but has stated that France will not make it easy for him in the final. The AC Milan forward has also acknowledged the fact that Argentina are not only dependent on their captain and have a great overall squad.

Speaking ahead of the showpiece game, Giroud was quoted as saying the following (via the Mirror):

“Messi is an incredible player, but we are not going to let him enjoy the best night he can have. We want to win this game. We want to win another World Cup."

He added:

“We will try everything to stop him. But there is not only Messi in that team. They have got great players who work for the team also. I think that is why they are so strong.”

Argentina and France met in the Round of 16 at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, with the French prevailing in an entertaining 4-3 victory. Giroud recalls the time N'Golo Kante played a vital role in man-marking Messi for the entirety of the game.

Kante, however, is not part of the French squad this time around due to an injury, which will make things tricky for France manager Didier Deschamps. Giroud said:

“I remember back in the days of 2018, N’Golo [Kante] was all the game on his back, behind him. But this time I don’t know what the plan will be. We will see with the manager.”

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Lionel Messi's numbers at the 2022 FIFA World Cup have been excellent

The Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward has been Argentina's best player at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He has been leading from the front throughout the tournament.

As things stand, the forward has contributed five goals and three assists from six games at the World Cup. This included a goal and an assist in Argentina's 3-0 victory over Croatia in the semifinals.

The Argentine ace and France's Kylian Mbappe are currently tied on five goals as the 2022 FIFA World Cup's top scorers. The World Cup final will therefore also be a vital game in determining the winner of the prestigious Golden Boot.