Mbappe’s explosive pace and technique were a nightmare for Moroccan defenders Achraf Dari and Achraf Hakimi, who tried in vain to stop him from plunging down France’s left channel in the semi-final.
Now Argentina right back Molina will be tasked with marking Embappé.
Molina arrived at the World Cup after facing criticism after struggling in his first season with Atlético Madrid, but he remained solid during the tournament, starting every match.
The potential match-up could see coach Lionel Scaloni deploying a three-man defence, as he did in their quarter-final against the Netherlands, to provide support for Molina.
This could pit Tottenham Hotspur center back Christian Romero up against Mbappe.
Lionel Messi vs Aurelien Tchoumeni
One of the most anticipated matches will be Argentina great Messi against France’s rising star holding-midfielder Toumeni.
They have faced each other once before, as Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco played in the French league in the 2021-22 season.
Messi beat Tchoumeni in a match that PSG won 2–0 and the Argentine provided an assist for one of Mbappe’s two goals.
However, the 22-year-old Tchoumeni has been spectacular since joining Real Madrid in August, where he immediately replaced the long-serving Casemiro and is regarded as one of the most talented box-to-box midfielders around.
His task of slowing Messi down on Sunday should be crucial to France’s success.