France will always be brought up in any conversation regarding potential World Cup winners. They have a tradition of footballing excellence, a thriving domestic league that stars some of the world’s best players, and a deep pool of talented players that can deliver the hefty expectations set upon Les Bleus.
It’s been a while since Les Bleus won anything major. Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal stopped them at the 2016 Euros, and the only time they won in the World Cup was in 1998. They approach the World Cup 2018 with the intention to win it all and bring a lot of cheer to their home nation.
However, there is one question lingering in the minds of France supporters and neutral fans with regards to this team: do they have what it takes to beat the odds and clutch the trophy once more?
The Journey to the Big Dance
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France’s trek to the World Cup was not that difficult of a trip if everything is to be considered.
They got into an interesting group during the World Cup qualifiers. While Sweden and the Netherlands had the players to contend, the Frenchmen were just coming off an impressive European Championship where they the runners-up to Portugal.
They cruised through the qualifiers, winning seven of the ten qualifying matches they were billed to play. The only blemish in an otherwise perfect qualifying campaign was a shocking defeat to Sweden. Olivier Giroud’s 37th-minute strike was cancelled out by Ola Toivonen and Jimmy Durmaz. What made the loss extra painful for Deschamp’s Les Bleus was the fact that these two played for Ligue 1 mainstays Toulouse.
Thankfully for France, they won’t be facing Sweden in the group stages and have a huge chance of making it through the group stages. If they cruise through Group C like what many expect them to do, then there is a huge chance for the lads in Blue to make it all the way to the biggest dance in world football.
After qualifying for the World Cup, they arranged to play several friendlies with the best teams in the world. They easily crushed Wales and gave Germany a run for their money in November. They saw their form dip in March after Colombia sucker-punched them to a 2-3 defeat. However, they bounced back and quickly tore down World Cup hosts Russia in the next match. Their upcoming contests with the Republic of Ireland, Italy and the United States will be their final tune-up scrims before the real thing begins.
Can This Impressive Team Pull It Off?
Didier’s selection looks as dangerous as some of the best nations in the competition, and I have no doubt that the rest of Group C are shaking in their boots after seeing the final lineup.
Europe’s top stars are expectedly included in the list. Hugo Lloris, Raphael Varane, Benjamin Mendy, Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kante and Antoine Griezmann will be playing leading roles for the national team in the coming competition.
It’s noticeable that Deschamps wants the country’s youth to experience high-level football and blossom for the years to come. The attacking squad is noticeably young, with Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Thomas Lemar making the cut. Benjamin Pavard, Presnel Kimpembe, Lucas Hernandez and Corentin Tolisso were the other young players to make the cut.
These players came in at the expense of men such as Dimitri Payet, Florian Thauvin, Anthony Martial, Wissam Ben Yedder, Alexandre Lacazette, Moussa Sissoko and Adrien Rabiot. Rabiot was livid to be only selected to the standby team and immediately withdrew from his World Cup duties.
There’s no question that this squad has the potential to win it all by the time July is over. The question now lies on whether this team can erase the disappointment of Euro 2016 on Russian soil. There are questions as to whether this squad is mentally strong enough to take on the world’s best football players come June.
The task of leading this team falls on the shoulder of one man.
Pogba: Talisman or Curse?
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Paul Pogba is undoubtedly France’s best player, and he will be the man making the key passes to help Les Bleus reach the Promised Land.
Paul Pogba has been a consistent performer for France, chipping in two goals and making key passes through seven of France’s qualifying matches. He has also played well for Manchester United, netting six goals and 10 assists in 25 league appearances.
However, his inconsistent form and the hefty price tag that he came with made him a disappointment for Jose Mourinho and the multitude of United fans that flock to Old Trafford. Pogba has not enjoyed his second stint with the Red Devils to the point that rumours about him leaving the club are popping up.
Some of the biggest criticisms about Pogba is his lack of eagerness in playing for United and his strained relationship with his Portuguese boss. However, some believe that he only lacks the presence of quality veterans who can point him in the right direction. It will be interesting to see if donning his country on his chest will make Pogba perform better consistently.
It’s not that much of a stretch to say that France fall when Pogba struggles. Pundits, fans and betting sites will be looking at him to lead the nation to World Cup glory. Will he let the disappointment of his latest season get to him? Or will he rise up to the challenge and carry France all the way to the trophy?
The only way to find out is by watching him and the rest of Les Bleus play on the field.
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