Either Argentina or France will be lifting the 18-karat gold World Cup trophy aloft at the close of play in Sunday's tantalizing final at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.

Didier Deschamps's side ended the Morocco fantasy in the semi-finals as Theo Hernandez and Randal Kolo Muani struck in a 2-0 win, and the reigning champions are aiming to follow in Italy and Brazil's footsteps as the third team to win back-to-back World Cups.

Meanwhile, La Albiceleste put Croatia to the sword 3-0 courtesy of a Lionel Messi penalty and Julian Alvarez's brace, and the Copa America winners are out to end a lengthy 36-year spell without another World Cup star on their badge.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how the star-studded squads of Argentina and France compare ahead of Sunday's grand finale.

ARGENTINA

Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring against Australia at the World Cup on December 3, 2022 © Reuters

Most valuable player:
Lautaro Martinez (£65.3m)

Overall squad value:
£562.2m

Most capped player:
Lionel Messi (171)

Leading goalscorer:
Lionel Messi (96)

Total caps:
983

Total goals:
177

Oldest player:
Franco Armani (36)

Youngest player:
Thiago Almada (21)

Average age:
27.8

SQUAD IN FULL

Goalkeepers: Franco Armani (River Plate), Geronimo Rulli (Villarreal), Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)

Defenders: Juan Foyth (Villrreal), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon), Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla), German Pezzella (Real Betis), Marcos Acuna (Sevilla), Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid)

Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (Juventus), Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Thiago Almada (Atlanta United), Alejandro Gomez (Sevilla), Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis), Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton & Hove Albion), Enzo Fernandez (Benfica)

Forwards: Julian Alvarez (Manchester City), Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain), Angel Di Maria (Juventus), Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid), Paulo Dybala (Roma), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)

FRANCE

France players pose for a team photo in the UEFA Nations League in June 2022 © Reuters

Most valuable player:
Kylian Mbappe (£139.4m)

Overall squad value:
£897.3m

Most capped player:
Hugo Lloris (144)

Leading goalscorer:
Olivier Giroud (53)

Total caps:
882

Total goals:
155

Oldest player:
Steve Mandanda (37)

Youngest player:
Eduardo Camavinga (20)

Average age:
24.5

SQUAD IN FULL

Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (West Ham), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Steve Mandanda (Rennes)

Defenders: Theo Hernandez (AC Milan), Axel Disasi (Monaco), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich), Raphael Varane (Manchester United)

Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), Youssouf Fofana (Monaco), Matteo Guendouzi (Marseille), Adrien Rabiot (Juventus), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid), Jordan Veretout (Marseille)

Forwards: Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich), Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona), Olivier Giroud (AC Milan), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain), Marcus Thuram (Borussia Monchengladbach)