Reigning World Cup champions, managed by a former participant who lifted the trophy as captain, and with arguably the most effective participant on the planet main their attacking line, England’s quarter-final opponents France can be their hardest problem in Qatar to date.
The Three Lions go into their crunch conflict with Les Bleus on 10 December in glorious type, off the again of a cushty 3-0 win in opposition to Senegal at Qatar’s Al Bayt Stadium on Sunday night time – a win which suggests they’re nonetheless unbeaten on this event.
But, after they return to the 68,000-seater stadium on Saturday, it’s a knock-out sport with one of many event favourites, France, that awaits Gareth Southgate’s aspect.
France’s ‘weak hyperlink’ recognized – comply with dwell World Cup updates
Managed by Didier Deschamps, who captained France as a participant after they gained the 1998 World Cup on residence soil in Paris, and with star striker Kylian Mbappe in scintillating type, England may have their work reduce out to topple the defending champions, who progressed to the quarter-finals with a 3-1 win over Poland.
What will we find out about France?
France arrived in Qatar with loads of expectation on their shoulders, having lifted the World Cup trophy on the final event, in Russia in 2018, and with the majority of the squad returning this time round.
At the beginning of the event, knowledge specialists Opta had France as third favourites for the event, behind Brazil and Argentina, and forward of Spain and England.
And they’ve largely lived as much as expectations to date, successful three of their 4 video games and scoring 9 objectives within the course of, with an uncostly closing group sport slip-up in opposition to Tunisia the one blot on their card.
Their star striker Kylian Mbappe, widely-regarded as the most effective participant on the earth proper now, can also be in prime type, main the race for the World Cup Golden Boot award with 5 objectives.
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The two-time World Cup winners at present sit in fourth within the FIFA World Rankings, a spot above England, and are available into the event having gained UEFA’s 2021 Nations League closing in opposition to Spain in October final 12 months.
That win put behind a disappointing Euro 2020 marketing campaign, which noticed them crash out on the spherical of 16 after a penalty shootout defeat to Switzerland.
Les Bleus come into the event with out a lot of key names from their line-up, together with star midfielders Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante, and present Ballon d’Or holder Karim Benzema, who’re all out with harm.
France’s former World Cup-winning supervisor
Alongside retaining most of their 2018 World Cup-winning squad, together with captain and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, France even have a event winner – each as a supervisor and a participant – within the dugout.
20 years after lifting the trophy as captain of the French nationwide aspect in 1998, it was Deschamps who led Les Bleus to World Cup glory in Russia.
The 54-year-old performed as a midfielder and featured alongside Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry after they lifted the trophy on residence soil after a 3-0 win over Brazil within the closing in Paris.
He was nonetheless captain two years later when France triumphed in Euro 2000.
Deschamps, who performed for Juventus, Chelsea and Marseille in his membership profession, additionally gained the Champions League with the Italian aspect, making him solely the second participant in historical past to captain a staff to success in soccer’s three largest tournaments.
The stars to be careful for
Kylian Mbappe
At the nonetheless comparatively younger age of 23, PSG ahead Mbappe is broadly thought to be the world’s greatest footballer and the long run face of the game, with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo approaching the top of their careers.
With electrical tempo and one eye on purpose, Mbappe has already scored 33 objectives in 63 appearances for France and leads the race for the Golden Boot at this 12 months’s World Cup, with 5 objectives already this event.
He scored two beautiful strikes in France’s 3-1 win in opposition to Poland within the spherical of 16 and can be a giant take a look at for England’s defence on Saturday.
Olivier Giroud
Despite being 36-years-old, Giroud stays an integrable a part of France’s attacking menace. Benzema’s harm has gifted him a spot in France’s beginning line-up to date within the event, and the veteran has risen to the problem by scoring three objectives.
The 6ft 3in (1.93m) former Chelsea and Arsenal centre ahead offers a focus for France’s ahead line, serving to to carry up the ball and supply house for the likes of Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele.
He can also be a menace in entrance of purpose and have become France’s all-time main goalscorer on Saturday in his aspect’s 3-1 victory over Poland.
Giroud, who overtook Thierry Henry, has scored 52 objectives in 116 appearances for France.
He famously didn’t internet in France’s 2018 World Cup win, regardless of taking part in as a striker, however was instrumental in his aspect’s tournament-winning marketing campaign.
Hugo Lloris
While France have an abundance of attacking expertise, captain and goalkeeper Lloris is a key a part of Les Bleus’s line-up on the different finish of the pitch.
The skilled Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper, 35, equalled France’s appearances report in opposition to Poland on Saturday – his 142 for his nation.
He captained France to victory in 2018, in addition to France’s success in Euro 2020.
Lloris has a formidable backline in entrance of him, together with the likes of Barcelona star Jules Kounde and Manchester defender Rafael Varane.
But England can be hopeful of discovering a approach by means of Lloris, who has but to maintain a clear sheet this event.
England’s report in opposition to France
While France will go into Saturday’s quarter-final conflict as slight favourites, historical past is on England’s aspect.
Despite France having extra success when it comes to event wins than England, the head-to-head report really favours the Three Lions.
Over the final 100 years, England have confronted France 31 instances, successful 17, shedding 9 and drawing 5. Famously, England beat France 2-0 in 1966 on their option to event victory.
But France have actually had the higher hand for the reason that flip of the millenium, successful 4 instances and shedding simply as soon as to the Three Lions within the final seven video games between the 2 sides.
The most up-to-date conflict between England and France was a global pleasant in June 2017, which ended 3-2 to Les Bleus.
Source: information.sky.com”