It is Nine days to the start of the 21st edition of the FIFA World Cup, we begin our countdown to the biggest singular sporting competition in the world. Since the global fiesta started in 1930, we have seen only eight winners lift the gold trophy. The last edition hosted by Brazil in 2014 saw Germany lift the trophy at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
In our build up to the Mundial, we shall preview some of the teams we believe can win the 32 carat gold trophy in Moscow come 15 July 2018.
FRANCE
The 1998 winners are one of the favorites to win the World Cup in Russia. One paper the French squad is loaded in all position with several high profile names missing out in the World Cup party. In Spite of the abundant talents, a functioning group built on a solid foundation was the hallmark of Aime Jacquet’s victorious team in 1998. Current France Coach Didier Deschamps captained the exceptioanl French team then and will be well informed that only a strong group can repeat similar success. France can look build on their Euro 2016 campaign where they finished as runner up in the tournament as a spring board for further success in Russia.
France won their World Cup qualification group quite comfortably but it came with some shocking results – Les Blues played two goalless draws against Belarus and Luxembourg. Didier Deschamps took over from former national team colleague Laurent Blanc in 2012 and led the French National Team to the quarter finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the finals of the 2016 European Championship. The former Olympique Marseille and Juventus defensive midfielder alters his formation between a 4-4-2 and 4-3-3, depending on the opposition, the nature of the game.
France have announced their World Cup squad with several high profile names missing out. Alexandre Lacazette, Anthony Martial, Adrien Rabiot are some of the surprise names off the list while Laurent Koscienly and Dmitri Payet miss out due to injury. There are many questions over the team selection and we start with the goalkeeping department. Skipper and first choice goal tender Hugo Lloris is at best a very good goalkeeper who plays the sweeper role quite well but he is prone to errors occasionally. Can France rely on the experienced Tottenham Hotspur captain to lead from behind? France have question marks all over the defense. Their best full backs Djibril Sidibe and Benjamin Mendy had an injury filled campaign at the various clubs respectively while at the heart of the defense, Raphael Varane and Samuel Umtiti are exceptional defenders but neither is a leader. None is in the commanding mould of Laurent Blanc or Marcel Desailly.
The expected leader of this team in midfield should be Paul Pogba. However, the Manchester United midfielder has had too many average performances on big occasions which has seen doubters questions his ability at the highest level. He had a disappointing season with his club and this is a tournament where Pogba needs to perform.
The French are blessed in attack depending on the variety of style or option Deschamps chooses to deploy. Target man Oliver Giroud is in the squad to give a different dimension to Antoine Griezmann or the pace and tricky of Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele. Thomas Lemar, Nabil Fekir and Florian Thauvin are viable options.
For the French, the expectation from this team is to improve on their last outing in Brazil where they got knocked out in the quarter-finals to eventually champion Germany. Anything short of that would be considered as a major underachievement which would put Deschamps future into questioning.
France have been drawn into Group C with Australia, Peru and Denmark.
Les Blues kickoff their World Cup campaign against Australian on Saturday 16 June 2018 at the Kazan Arena, Kazan. Their second game is against Peru on Thursday 21 June 2018 at Central Stadium, Ekaterinburg Arena, Yekaterinburg. Their final game against Denmark is Tuesday 26 June 2018 at Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow.
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