Olivier Giroud and Raphael Varane doubts for World Cup final after being left out of a training side

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France will face Argentina in Sunday's World Cup final at the Lusail Stadium
Oliver Giroud and Raphael Varane are doubts after not making of a training side
Varane is known to have suffered from a virus going round the French team
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By MICHAEL RUDLING FOR MAILONLINE

Published: 14:38 EDT, 17 December 2022 | Updated: 19:46 EDT, 17 December 2022

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There are doubts over the fitness of both Raphael Varane and Olivier Giroud after the pair were not included in a team for France's closed training session.

It comes as Les Bleus prepare to face Lionel Scaloni's Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday.

Varane is known to have suffered from a virus that has gone around the French camp but was thought to have recovered, yet L'Equipe report that Dayot Upamecano trained ahead of him on Saturday.

Olivier Giroud is an injury doubt for the World Cup final after being left out of a training team

Manchester United star Raphael Varane was also left out of the team by Didier Deschamps

Marcus Thuram also came into the side for Olivier Giroud, who became France's record goal scorer earlier in the tournament and scored the winner in their quarter final victory win over England.

He has netted four times at the tournament so far, a tally bettered only by Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi.

If the pair are unavailable on Sunday, they will be sorely missed, as Giroud's presence has been key to getting the best out of Mbappe, and a defensive change on the eve of a battle with Messi is far from ideal.

Didier Deschamps could become the first manager since 1938 to win back-to-back World Cups

It is possible both have only missed training as a precaution, but it still leaves the French in a tricky position ahead of their second consecutive World Cup final.

A win on Sunday would be historic for Didier Deschamps' men. It would make him the first manager to win back-to-back World Cups since 1938, and Kylian Mbappe the youngest to win two tournaments as a player since Pele.

Standing in their way is Messi, a man intent on winning the one trophy that has eluded him, and the one caveat in comparisons between him and Diego Maradona.