Antoine Griezmann has admitted facing Lionel Messi is a daunting challenge ahead of Sunday's World Cup final at the Lusail Stadium.
France will face Argentina in the showpiece event after beating Morocco 2-0 at the Al Bayt Stadium on Wednesday. Goals from Theo Hernandez and substitute Randal Kolo Muani helped the defending champions edge past Walid Regragui's defiant side.
At 35, this World Cup is almost certain to be Messi's last chance of winning the prestigious honour. Griezmann knows this and is concerned about facing his former Barcelona team-mate. He said: "When a team has Leo with them, it's completely different."
Griezmann, who is being deployed in a deeper role by France boss Didier Deschamps in Qatar, insisted he was impressed by Morocco after Wednesday's game. Yet the Atletico Madrid forward is expecting a much tougher tie against the South Americans on Sunday.
"I was impressed by Morocco, they worked really well tactically, in defence just as in attack," Griezmann told French outlet L'Equipe. "They posed a lot of problems for us [down the left wing] - the coach realised that and made a change."
France took the lead through AC Milan left-back Hernandez in the fifth minute but struggled to stay in front, as Morocco targeted their left side. Deschamps' side are vulnerable due to Hernandez's attacking nature and Kylian Mbappe's lack of defensive work.
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France's first-choice left-back is Hernandez's brother Lucas, but he suffered a serious knee injury in France's opening World Cup game against Australia in November. The Bayern Munich defender is not expected to play again until next season.
Deschamps solidified France's left side by bringing on Marcus Thuram - the son of 1998 World Cup winner Lilian - for Olivier Giroud and playing Mbappe as a centre-forward. The France boss must now decide whether to start Thuram against Argentina on Sunday.
Griezmann added: "Marcus arrival on the left wing was good for us, there was more help for Theo to defend. And then the fact that we opened the scoring early opened the match up for us and scoring the second put us home and dry."
Rio Ferdinand pointed out France's vulnerability on the left ahead of their win against Morocco. He told BBC Sport: "If you look at France’s weakness, and there aren’t many of them, but their left side is an area of the pitch I thought opponents have been targeting.
"You look at it, a third of the chances they’ve conceded have come from that side of the pitch. This is unfortunate - [Lucas] Hernandez obviously gets a serious injury on this side but it’s become a common thing throughout the World Cup."
Deschamps will also need a plan to stop Messi. The Paris Saint-Germain forward is desperate to finally win the World Cup after losing the 2014 final to Germany in Brazil. He is at the top of his game in Qatar, scoring five goals and providing three assists.
