World Cup final and third-place predictions: Chris Sutton predicts Argentina v France and Croatia v Morocco

Author: BBC Sport

Host nation: Qatar Dates: 20 November-18 December Coverage: Live on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app. Day-by-day TV listings – Full coverage details

France are not the only ones going for back-to-back triumphs on Sunday – if Les Bleus beat Argentina, BBC football expert Chris Sutton will have successfully picked the winner of two successive World Cups.

“I’ve had another good tournament,” Sutton said. “And I’m pleased to say I’ve beaten the challenge of Kent the gibbon in Zagreb Zoo. He went very quiet once Croatia lost in the semi-finals.”

Sutton is predicting the outcome of every game in Qatar, and became a TV star in Japan when he correctly called the Blue Samurai’s shock win over Germany in the group stage – sharing his celebrity status with a Tokyo otter called Taiyo, who also got that one right.

Sutton was correct again when he backed Argentina to get through their semi-final, and was also spot on when he said France would join them in the final.

He picked the winner in two of the four quarter-finals – getting the exact score in Morocco’s win over Portugal and France’s victory against England – and from five of the eight last-16 ties.

He has an overall success rate of 56% for the tournament, after he chose the right outcome in 26 of the 48 group games.

Before the World Cup started, Sutton chose 12 of the 16 teams that progressed to the first knockout stage, including England, who he correctly said would go as far as the last eight.

Brazil (7):Micah Richards, Alex Scott, Ashley Williams, Gabby Logan, Jurgen Klinsmann, Rio Ferdinand, Karen Bardsley, Matthew Upson, Rob GreenArgentina (3):Alan Shearer, Jermaine Jenas, Danny MurphyFrance (2):Chris Sutton, Danny GabbidonEngland (1):Fara Williams

Sutton’s third-place play-off and World Cup final predictions

THIRD-PLACE PLAY-OFFSaturday, 17 DecCroatia v Moroccox-x1-2WORLD CUP FINALSunday, 18 DecArgentina v Francex-x1-3

Saturday, 17 December

Croatia v Morocco (Khalifa International Stadium, 19:00 GMT)

I was gutted for Morocco, who were running out of defenders with the injuries they picked up before and during their semi-final defeat by France.

I also wonder about all the emotion they have used up during their incredible run to the last four, and whether they might all feel a bit flat now their dream is over.

Morocco will still be desperate to win this game and finish third, though, while I’m not sure what Croatia’s selection or mindset will be like.

They drew 0-0 when they met in the group stage but this time, if both teams are as strong as they can be and go all out for victory, I would back Croatia.

I don’t think that will happen though, so let’s give the Morocco fairytale a winning finish.

Sutton’s prediction: 1-2

Sunday, 18 December

Argentina v France (Lusail Iconic Stadium, 19:00)

France are quite a baffling side in that I watch them with high expectations but am always left a bit bored, and thinking there must be more to come.

The holders are efficient, rather than exciting, and at the moment they remind me of a Citroen cruising along an old autoroute. They’ve got a couple of gears left to find, but they might well get all the way to their destination without using them.

We’d all love England to be effective like that, of course, and for us to be winning World Cups by finding a way and without a lot of fuss.

I think the French public would prefer them to play like Manchester City or Spain – well, maybe Spain in terms of possession but also taking some shots at goal – and dominate games, winning with flair and doing it in style.

But their manager Didier Deschamps is pragmatic and is not bothered what people think. They were labelled bland four years ago too, but they ended up world champions.

Instead of trying to keep the ball, France don’t seem to want it at at all. Morocco had 23% of possession in their win over Spain, but managed 61% against the French.

France don’t play free-flowing football, instead they carry the ball forward quickly and pick their moments – and, with someone like Kylian Mbappe in the team, they can be devastating in those moments.

Mbappe has only performed in fits and starts but that has been enough. Olivier Giroud has been a revelation and Antoine Griezmann has linked everything up.