World Cup 2022 LIVE: Argentina vs Mexico latest score and goal updates as Lionel Messi starts

The players are back in after their warm-ups as we gear up for this crucial Group C clash!

Argentina are currently bottom of the group after their shock 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia while Mexico are third following their 0-0 draw vs Poland.

Here’s a reminder of what happened between Poland and Saudi Arabia earlier today!

By Miguel Delaney in Doha

As Lionel Messi walked down for breakfast on the morning after the “nightmare” before, he immediately realised the Argentina squad needed rallying. The captain had told them they had to “turn the page” on the shock defeat to Saudi Arabia, but felt a bit more had to be done to change the atmosphere.

It was decided to open up their Qatar University camp and let the players’ families. They stayed for over five hours, and it was said to be “great for the team”.

There was already a considerable difference from 24 hours before, when the dressing room was described by numerous figures as “a horror”.

If this all seems like an old-fashioned overemphasis on the psychology of the Argentina squad, it is because it remains a very present problem. They have probably been the national team most affected by mood than any other in the last decade. When things are going well, as they were throughout that 36-match run, the team can be electric; flying. When there’s a setback, as started with that first offside against Saudi Arabia, it gets to them.

It is telling that they were never once behind in that long run. It is even more telling that, once Salem Aldawsari scored for Saudi Arabia to go ahead, Argentina barely mustered a chance.

Argentina the favourites with the bookies today in a match they really need to win!

On the two-year anniversary of the death of the nation’s footballing hero, Scaloni invoked the spirit of the man who captained his country to success in 1986 as they look to bounce back from their shock defeat to Saudi Arabia.

Anything other than a victory would leave the South Americans’ hopes of progressing out of Group C hanging by a thread.

“Today is a very sad day for everyone,” Scaloni told a press conference. “Tomorrow we hope to bring some joy for Maradona, who will be looking down at us from the sky. That will be the most important thing for us.

“Every time we see images of him it is unbelievable that he is not here with us. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a happy day for all of us.”

While the 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia, having been ahead, was a major surprise and put Argentina’s tournament at risk, Scaloni insists they have put the result behind them. And he is confident his players will produce a response after pledging they will “break their backs” to turn things around.

“Emotionally we had to digest (the result) and, when you have one blow, two blows, what you need to do is bounce back and this group is ready to rise and bounce back,” Scaloni added.

Argentina: Damian Martinez, Montiel, Otamendi, Lisandro Martinez, Acuna, De Paul, Rodriguez, Di Maria, Messi, Mac Allister, Lautaro Martinez

Subs: Armani, Foyth, Tagliafico, Paredes, Pezzella, Alvarez, Rulli, Romero, Palacios, Correa, Almada, Gomez, Dybala, Jeremias, Molina.

Mexico: Ochoa, Montes, Araujo, Moreno, Kevin Alvarez, Herrera, Guardado, Chavez, Gallardo, Lozano, Vega

Subs: Talavera, Edson Alvarez, Vasquez, Arteaga, Romo, Rodriguez, Jimenez, Funes Mori, Cota, Gutierrez, Pineda, Sanchez, Martin, Antuna, Alvarado.

France beat Denmark at the third time of asking in recent meetings between the two, a late Kylian Mbappe strike settling the game 2-1 to leave Les Bleus well-placed to top their World Cup 2022 group.

It was Denmark who triumphed in both Nations League games of late, but although they survived France’s non-stop attacking for long periods here, they never looked like making it three out of three.

Their initial response to falling behind to Mbappe’s smart finish was impressive, though, with Andreas Christensen powering in a header from a corner only a few minutes after the Danes fell behind.

Late on it was only France who pushed for the points, with Aurelien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot going close – but it was left to Mbappe once again to find the crucial touch to become joint top scorer at the tournament so far.

Here are the player ratings from the Group D clash at Stadium 974.

France are now top of Group D on six points, with Australia second on three points. Tunisia and Denmark are bottom of the group with one point.

Tunisia vs France and Denmark vs Australia are the final games.

FULL-TIME: France have done it – the world champions are the first team through to the last-16!

It was the Kylian Mbappe show! His two goals made the difference either side of Andreas Christensen’s header!

A tight game, but France come out just on top!

90+2: Griezmann makes way for Fofana, while for Denmark: Bah comes on Kristensen.

Denmark press for a goal…

90 mins: Mbappe eyes a hat-trick as he takes on a volley, but it’s straight at Schmeichel – he should have played in Thuram!

Six minutes added on… can Denmark find another equaliser?!