Today's Talking Points
-
1France are ranked number one in the world going into this tournament, which is either reassuring or a curse — every team ranked first before a World Cup in the last 20 years has failed to win it.
-
2Kylian Mbappé is captain and has already scored 12 World Cup goals at 27 — the all-time record is 16, and if France go deep he has a realistic shot at breaking it in this tournament alone.
-
3France won it in 2018 and were runners-up in 2022, losing a final they were 3–1 up in with ten minutes to go — English football fans know the feeling, but France's version is considerably more recent and more painful.
-
4Their manager Didier Deschamps has been in charge since 2012 and has won everything there is to win — he's staying on just for this tournament, making it his farewell, which either motivates the squad or removes all pressure.
-
5France are in Group I alongside Senegal, Iraq and Norway — Senegal are the only real danger, having won the Africa Cup of Nations and full of Premier League players your mates will definitely have heard of.
🍺 Top Thing To Say Down The Pub
Mbappé is already on 12 World Cup goals at 27. The all-time record is 16. He could break it in this tournament.
🚫 Avoid Saying
"They've got so many great players, they can't lose" — France got knocked out in the group stage in 2002 despite being the reigning champions and having Zidane, Henry and Vieira. Depth means nothing on a bad day.