French fans feeling fantastic for final - Look to become only third team to repeat as World Cup champs

Sporting a Kylian Mbappe-inspired cheerleader outfit to watch her team beat Morocco yesterday, France fan Tonilee Daye was initially nervous that their handling of the ball would lead to their demise in their World Cup semi-final.

"Dem can settle with the ball likkle bit more suh them can score, but them a gwaan good. Nobody can outrun mi baller Mbappe! Honestly, Morocco a gwaan with themselves. Inna the last part a while ago, them add pressure. We now fi just take that and try score one more and defend, and not let them score cause a we and Argentina inna the finals," she said.

Her football analysis/prediction proved correct, as Les Bleus, who are the defending World Cup champions, secured a 2-0 win over the Atlas Lions of Morocco to reach back-to-back finals.

They are the first defending champs to do that since the Brazil team of 1994 and 1998. Ironically, it was the French who beat Brazil in that 1998 final, which was played in Paris.

Ahead of this final on Sunday, Daye and other France supporters are just as ecstatic and confident as they were four years ago. In 2018, France took on Croatia and handed them a 4-2 defeat in Moscow. According to lifelong France fan Gary their place in this year's finale was always secure.

"You done know a France all the way. From start mi tell you, enuh, before the World Cup we seh a France!" he said, never faltering as he waved his French flag.

He added enthusiastically, "You know a finals again and me a go win it again, and make (striker Kylian) Mbappe be the best international number 10 inna the world. France fi life!"

He told THE STAR that the consistency of the team in the last two stagings of the tournament is what has been driving his confidence.

"We know quality, we have quality players," he said. "Most a the players them from 2018, a them deh deh same way and we a bring France from 1998. A nuh just inna the millennium."

Having got over her initial nerves, and seeing her team progress to the football showpiece finale, Daye only had two words for the Argentines: "Watch out."

Agreeing with Daye, Gary said, "Mi really wah see Messi get a look at the cup, but that's the farthest him a go. It's gonna be a tough match but me a look fi it be 2-1 France."

If France win consecutive titles, it would be the third country to do so, with Italy (1934 and 1938) and Brazil (1958 and 1962) being the others.