Ahead of the mega clash between France and Argentina, skipper of the defending champions Hugo Lloris believes that the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday, December 18, is not all about their opponent's star player Lionel Messi. The 35-year-old talisman is set to play his second World Cup final, this time against France, and he will hope to finish an illustrious World Cup career with the trophy.
During the press conference ahead of the much-awaited final, Lloris discounted the notion that focusing on Messi will be important as the game is not just about the Argentina skipper. "The event is too important to focus on one player. It's a final between two great nations," said Lloris. "When you face this kind of player (Messi), you have to pay attention to him, but this game is not just about him."
Led by master tactician Didier Deschamps, the Frenchmen have been flexible tactically, and the veteran goalkeeper has reiterated that his team has a plan for their opponents. "You have to be willing to suffer at times. You have to make the most of the good situations, too. Tomorrow there will be a game plan to respect. We are still studying this team and preparing for this big game. There are always things we are not prepared for," said Lloris.
"To face that we need a perfect mindset, to be ready to go above and beyond. We know that we are capable of playing with possession and on the counter-attack. We have a lot of fast players offensively. The strength of our team is that we can adapt to any type of scenario."
He also chose not to compare the 2018 final victory over Croatia, and the upcoming 2022 final against Argentina. "We want to write our own story. We want to finish it in the best way possible. As long as nothing is done, the hardest part is still to come," said Lloris.
"We have to be ready to surpass ourselves, to make the effort despite the circumstances with the virus, despite the fatigue. We must finish the job," the Tottenham Hotspurs goalkeeper added.
