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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Kyle Newbould

Ibrahima Konate World Cup final decision made after France illness

Ibrahima Konate has been passed fit for France but will start this afternoon's World Cup final against Argentina on the bench.

The Liverpool defender was one of several French stars battling illness that swept through their camp during the week, with Raphael Varane, Dayot Upamecano and Adrien Rabiot all knocked sick at some point.

Konate's starting place in the semi-final win against Morocco on Wednesday came as a result of former RB Leipzig team-mate Upamecano missing training with a sore throat.

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But on Friday morning, he and Varane woke up with mild cold and flu symptoms, forcing a decision to have them isolated from the squad and monitored.

Both have been passed fit to be part of today's squad for the final, but Didier Deschamps has decided to drop Konate back to the substitutes bench.

Upamecano and Varane have been the France manager's first-choice throughout the tournament when all are fit, with the pair starting the group stage match against Denmark before their round-of-16 and quarter-final ties with Poland and England respectively.

Konate had started the opening game with Varane injured, followed by France's final group game, which was essentially a dead-rubber. He then starred in the 2-0 victory over Morocco that set up today's final with Argentina.

France will look to become just the third side to win consecutive World Cups, with Argentina eyeing a first world title since 1986.

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