City key players were all knocked out early as well so unlikely they will suffer much.

Alvarez transformed Argentina. Having someone up front who chased everything and made runs in behind the line made Argentina a much better team.

Incredible final but overall a strange and forgettable World Cup. So many ties decided by penalty kicks, no red cards, Brazil going out early...

And I hate that Argentina won it. What a bunch of thugs. Paredes is a psycho and Martinez is a clown.

    lorddulaarsenal Nah, up until 70 minutes into the final, Griezmann was France's best player in the tournament. Surprised me since I don't usually like him.

        I saw this online, and it made me laugh.

        “It was Mac Allister that was Home Alone on the break, and his pass met by an Angel at Christmas. A goal against the French, made in Brighton and converted by a former citizen of Paris.”

        • Peter Drury

        “Good finish by Di Maria, that.”

        • Lee Dixon

        Clrnc Everyone was. The point is that up until that point nobody had done anything to displace him as their best player.

          I think Griezmanns contributions are being a bit overrated. Mbappe was streets ahead through out.

          One thing I didn't really realise until I saw the celebrations in Buenos Aires is while we're bitching about a winter WC half the world will probably be pretty happy about it being in December

            jones bullet dodged for Arteta number 1 target too. Imagine if we signed him to play RB ffs.

            Ben White streets ahead.

                jones 😆

                anything to avoid the Messi hysterics we're being plastered with alll across social media and in person from people who never watched a whole game of football in their lives before the WC.

                A France win would have been meh, couple days celebration for their fans etc but it would end there.

                The MessiMania will be unbearable though. If only he spent the majority of his career anywhere else but Barca (obviously not the usual PL culprits), then I'd probably have appreciated him a whole lot more. But oh well. Glad this gruff is done and we can get back to the reall football.

                    I hadn't watched much of the World Cup beyond England's games and the odd bits and pieces, but what an incredibly insane game of football we were treated to last night. Kylian Mbappe's one man, shock and awe rescue mission for a France team who seemed completely dead will live long in the memory. But ultimately, not quite as long as the sight of Lionel Messi finally fulfilling the destiny his talent demanded. I was thinking, when I read Cesc's tribute to him on Insta last night, that Cesc had won the World Cup by the time he was 22 - it seems crazy that the best player of my lifetime has had to wait his entire career to do the same. The vagaries of team sports.

                    Having really been turned off by Emi Martinez's constant jibbering since leaving Arsenal, I found myself feeling really pleased for him last night, the level of his shithousing seemed very Arteta appropriate, but that ship has now sailed. Nonetheless, a great save at the end and his decision to forsake trophies at club level for international glory has been well and truly vindicated. I reckon he owes Neal Maupay a beer.

                      Big Willie

                      Sorry mate but your views on football are forever null and void. I'm even starting to think we should have a second look at Aouar.

                          RocktheCasbah Having really been turned off by Emi Martinez's constant jibbering since leaving Arsenal, I found myself feeling really pleased for him last night, the level of his shithousing seemed very Arteta appropriate, but that ship has now sailed.

                          He's someone you hate but secretly like or at least find amusing. Someone was complaining last time Arsenal fans booed him but how can you not? Classic pantomime villain.