Can France Win Back-to-Back World Cups?
The start of the World Cup is within reach, as the 32 best national sides on the planet clash to be called the world champions for 2022. This year’s World Cup has been no stranger to controversy, given that it will be taking place in Qatar for the World Cup, but that hasn’t stopped football fans from being excited about the competition.
As the reigning world champions, there will be pressure on the shoulders of France coming into the competition in November, but could they become the first nation since Brazil in the 60s to win back-to-back editions of the competition?
France’s Preparation
Like many of the top European contenders to win the World Cup this year, France’s preparations have been far from ideal. The French only won once in six Nations League fixtures between the summer and the start of October, with their only success coming at home against Austria. During that period, they were beaten by both Croatia and Denmark, and they only avoided relegation thanks to that victory over Austria.
Few could have foreseen this sort of form from France, as they won the Nations League title just three years earlier. However, in this campaign, they struggled at both ends of the field. They scored a Group A1-low of five goals and conceded seven goals.
The fact that they are struggling to score goals would be a huge concern for those who follow the domestic French top-tier Ligue 1. Kylian Mbappe had been in excellent form for PSG before leaving for international duty, but the absence of Karim Benzema has certainly been felt.
Injuries A Big Issue
It looks set to be a worrying couple of months for French boss Didier Deschamps, as he awaits fitness updates on some of his biggest stars. It has already been announced that Paul Pogba will be missing the competition later this year, while his World Cup-winning midfield partner, N’Golo Kante, has also been struggling for fitness throughout the season with Chelsea.
Defensively there are certainly more issues, as Lucas Hernandez, Ibrahima Konate, and Jules Kounde all also missed the recent international fixtures through injury. Long-term goalkeeper Hugo Lloris was also unavailable due to injury.
Given the scoring record of the French throughout the Nations League, there will also be long-standing questions surrounding the fitness of Real Madrid superstar Karim Benzema. The striker was forced off in Madrid’s opening Champions League fixture against Celtic, and there hasn’t yet been an update regarding when he could be back to full fitness.
Who’s In France’s World Cup Group?
France will be quietly optimistic about the World Cup draw that they have in Qatar. They will face Australia and Tunisia on matchdays one and three, which both look extremely comfortable victories. However, their big fixture will likely come against Denmark at Stadium 874 on November 26. The Danes picked up two victories against the French in the Nations League this year, and are one of the sides that many are tipping up to be potential dark horses after a solid run to the semi-finals at the EUROs last year.
From there, the knockout stages get underway. Should they win the group, then they will come up against either Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, or Poland, depending on the nation that finishes as the runner-up in Group C. That could then set up a huge quarterfinal against England, putting them on a collision course with Brazil in the final.
However, finishing as the runner-up in their group could potentially be problematic. That could see them come up against Argentina in the round of 16, or the team that tops Group C, before a possible showdown with Germany or Spain in the quarterfinals.
Will France Win The World Cup?
Winning the World Cup in successive editions is a huge test for any team, but if any national side is equipped to deal with that, then it is France. They have an embarrassment of riches across the squad, but recent injuries to key players certainly do ask questions about the position that they find themselves in. If they are able to get their stars back, then there’s no reason why they couldn’t mount a very serious challenge in Qatar.
However, it so often pays to follow a team full of momentum into the World Cup. Both Argentina and Spain have been building towards the competition over the previous five years, and both have realistic chances of ending South America’s 20-year wait for a World Cup win this winter. But, England, Spain, and the Netherlands could also be dangerous opponents in Qatar this year should they find the right mix of youth and experience.
