Sports News Roundup: Magical Messi saves his best for last in Qatar; Spain captain Busquets retires from international football and more

But ask the Frenchman about his chance at rewriting history when he can become the first to win the World Cup twice as a coach and once as a player, he steps away from the spotlight, happily allowing his beloved squad to be the focus instead. Soccer-Scaloni heads into final as the coach who made Messi and Argentina smile again Lionel Messi will deservedly hog the spotlight when Argentina face France in Sunday's World Cup final, yet the potential pinnacle of his glorious career could have passed him by were it not for his manager Lionel Scaloni.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Soccer-France's Deschamps on cusp of World Cup history but happy to shun limelight

No coach has ever won the World Cup twice in the post-World War II era but France's Didier Deschamps is one victory away from entering the record books when they take on Argentina in the final on Sunday in Qatar. But ask the Frenchman about his chance at rewriting history when he can become the first to win the World Cup twice as a coach and once as a player, he steps away from the spotlight, happily allowing his beloved squad to be the focus instead.

Soccer-Scaloni heads into final as the coach who made Messi and Argentina smile again

Lionel Messi will deservedly hog the spotlight when Argentina face France in Sunday's World Cup final, yet the potential pinnacle of his glorious career could have passed him by were it not for his manager Lionel Scaloni. Scaloni has scripted one of the most fascinating stories in South American football in the last few years, having been plucked from coaching obscurity and taken an Argentina side that were in disarray to the brink of greatness.

Athletics-No quick return for Russia in face of dual ban, says Coe

While the IOC prevaricates about the "dilemma" of banning Russian athletes from the 2024 Olympics, World Athletics boss Sebastian Coe has made it clear that as far as his sport is concerned they remain very much on the outside, twice-over. IOC chief Thomas Bach said last week that a lengthy Executive Board debate resulted in the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine remaining in place but that there were discussions about potentially allowing some individuals to take part as neutral athletes.

Soccer-Magical Messi saves his best for last in Qatar

As if he had not made enough fairy-tales, Argentina's little genius Lionel Messi has saved the potentially most magical script for his last World Cup - with one line left to write. With immense pressure on him to match the late great Diego Maradona and send the trophy back to Buenos Aires, Messi has lit up the Qatar tournament while others in the superstar stratum - Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo - have underwhelmed and gone home.

Soccer-Messi's 'Maradona moment' faces formidable French final hurdle

After a mesmerising month of upsets, when several brash outsiders threatened soccer's status quo, the World Cup final will have a familiar feel on Sunday when two of the sport's super-heavyweights go toe to toe, each seeking a third title. It seems a long time ago that Argentina were on the wrong side of statistically the biggest shock in tournament history when they were beaten by Saudi Arabia, and France, even with a shadow team, were embarrassed by Tunisia.

Alpine skiing-Italy's Curtoni wins in St Moritz as Goggia breaks fingers

Italy's Elena Curtoni beat compatriot Sofia Goggia to claim a World Cup Downhill victory at a snowy St Moritz on Friday. The conditions in the Swiss Alps were challenging as intense fog and snow shortened the event, with the situation worsening as the race went on.

Brittney Griner says she will advocate for other Americans detained abroad

U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner, who on Friday left an Army medical center where she had been recuperating following her release from a Russian penal colony as part of a prisoner swap, said she would work to help bring other detained Americans home and planned to resume her WNBA career. Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and eight-times Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) All-Star, left the Brooke Army Medical Center a week after she arrived at Fort Sam Houston in Texas, CNN reported.

Soccer-Spain captain Busquets retires from international football

Spain captain Sergio Busquets announced his retirement from international football on Friday after they exited the World Cup in the last 16 in a penalty shootout defeat to Morocco. The 34-year-old Barcelona midfielder was part of the Spain team that won the 2010 World Cup in South Africa under then coach Vicente del Bosque and was also part of the squad that won the European Championship two years later.

Soccer-Morocco's World Cup run is like Croatia's four years ago, says coach Dalic

Croatia are preparing for a "huge" match against Morocco in Saturday's World Cup third-place playoff with the African team's surprise run to the semi-finals reminiscent of Croatia's own success at the 2018 tournament, said coach Zlatko Dalic on Friday. Morocco, punching above their weight, beat Belgium and Canada in the group stage before eliminating 2010 world champions Spain on penalties in the last 16 and then beating 2016 European champions Portugal in the quarter-finals.

Soccer-France's probable starting line-up for World Cup final

Didier Deschamps is likely to keep his usual starting XI for France's World Cup final against Argentina, although he could make one key change in central defence as the defending champions look to contain the threat posed by Lionel Messi at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday. Following is France's possible starting lineup: