Allez Les Bleus

[Saj]

Probably their best attacking performance of the tournament so far today against Argentina.

Mbappe was on fire and tore the Argentina defence to pieces at times.

Pogba looked much better today and they also have a number of other world-class performers who now seem to be fired-up for the World Cup after a slow start.

Can the blues win it?

[James]

It was a superb attacking performance and also showed character to come from behind and dominate the second half. Highly impressive and have truly got to be amongst the favourites now.

[Mueez]

Oui. Les Bleus vont gagner et je ne sais pas pourqoui ils ne le gagneront pas...

With that being said, they are the most suited candidate to win the WC.

Only a wonder from the opposition will keep them away from getting their hands on the trophy!

[Hasan123]

If England don't win it , I'm rooting for France. They have unbelievable talent . The team is young and could be around together for a while.

Hope Giroud is dropped so we can see Griezmann-Demeble-Mbappe trio .

[MMHS]

Merci!!! Merci!!!

My only issue is, if France wins the Cup, this tool Deshchamps will remain at charge - we might see Matuidi & Giroud at Qatar as well

Wenger for France, once for the last time. He has new Henry, Pires, Viera, Petit, Galas, ...... actually better than that.

[MMHS]

Trust me, this is just fraction of their capability!!! Today, France allowed 3 field goals, which is absolutely unacceptable, and they were happy at 4-2, which could have back-fired at last second. These players are coming from top clubs across Europe and needed a bit time to gel - once that midfield starts to work, unstoppable unit.

Pogstyle played well today because he was given a free role, like Seven Gerard at Liverpool and he dominated the midfield. Deschamps is fascinated with Giroud & Matuidi, hence he is limiting this attacking side considerably. For the pace French team can generate, both are too slow - in Denmark game, for 70 minutes together, Giroud & Griez'mann exchanged just one single pass, that too at left wing !!! To accommodate Matuidi, first he has dropped Raboit, who was massive in PSG's season; now he is benching France's most dynamic CM - Bayern's Tolisso, who was their best CM. And, Chelsea's Bakayoko couldn't even make the 30 men list////

Kante & Tolisso at CM, Pogba at a free role behind 3 interchanging forwards - Mbappe, Grizz'mann & Dembele, with Feekir & Lemar coming in 2nd half for 25 minutes; France should tear some defense.

[Hasan123]

Trust me, this is just fraction of their capability!!! Today, France allowed 3 field goals, which is absolutely unacceptable, and they were happy at 4-2, which could have back-fired at last second. These players are coming from top clubs across Europe and needed a bit time to gel - once that midfield starts to work, unstoppable unit.

Pogstyle played well today because he was given a free role, like Seven Gerard at Liverpool and he dominated the midfield. Deschamps is fascinated with Giroud & Matuidi, hence he is limiting this attacking side considerably. For the pace French team can generate, both are too slow - in Denmark game, for 70 minutes together, Giroud & Griez'mann exchanged just one single pass, that too at left wing !!! To accommodate Matuidi, first he has dropped Raboit, who was massive in PSG's season; now he is benching France's most dynamic CM - Bayern's Tolisso, who was their best CM. And, Chelsea's Bakayoko couldn't even make the 30 men list////

Kante & Tolisso at CM, Pogba at a free role behind 3 interchanging forwards - Mbappe, Grizz'mann & Dembele, with Feekir & Lemar coming in 2nd half for 25 minutes; France should tear some defense.

Coman not going was an absolute disgrace of a decision.

[anikrc1]

Merci!!! Merci!!!

My only issue is, if France wins the Cup, this tool Deshchamps will remain at charge - we might see Matuidi & Giroud at Qatar as well

Wenger for France, once for the last time. He has new Henry, Pires, Viera, Petit, Galas, ...... actually better than that.

mbappe is in the class of ronaldo9 rather than herny

[Saj]

That run by Mbappe against Argentina was the moment of the World Cup so far for me.

Incredible talent and only 19 years old.

[MMHS]

mbappe is in the class of ronaldo9 rather than herny

Depends on which Henry we are taking about.

He was the highest scorer for France, in their unique treble - WC, EURO & Confederation Cup; and he was their highest scorer for 2006 runners-up campaign as well, he is their historical highest scorer by some distance.

Still people say, France's Henry was no match for Arsenal's Henry - he was THAT good. Not sure if you have seen Arsenal's Henry between 2000 to 2005, but I'll be more than happy if Mbappe can match that for Les Bleus.

[anikrc1]

Depends on which Henry we are taking about.

He was the highest scorer for France, in their unique treble - WC, EURO & Confederation Cup; and he was their highest scorer for 2006 runners-up campaign as well, he is their historical highest scorer by some distance.

Still people say, France's Henry was no match for Arsenal's Henry - he was THAT good. Not sure if you have seen Arsenal's Henry between 2000 to 2005, but I'll be more than happy if Mbappe can match that for Les Bleus.

Well scoring 50 odd goals playing 120 odd matches with zidane and Viera behind is not really that great. Mbappe has better close control than Henry, probably not the same eye for final ball yet, but that's bound to improve with age. His test will be against Uruguay. He already has proved he can wrec havoc on counter. Let's see his creativity against a compact defence.

[hadi123]

Into the semi's they go!

[Saj]

Looked solid and composed today.

Looked like a team that could win this World Cup.

Looked like a teamwho still have the capacity to raise their performance even further.

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Think they'll win it. Don't give much away, and they have some lethal forwards to take the chances when they come.

[James]

If this year’s first semi-final indeed turns out to be France v Belgium, it will essentially be the de faqto final, because whoever wins will then be odds-on to actually take the trophy - never any guarantees in football of course, and Sweden / England / Russia / Croatia will all fancy themselves to make a steal, and no game is played on paper. Nevertheless France and Belgium have looked like by far the best teams at the tournament up to now.

[MenInG]

Can they do it?

[Saj]

That was a disciplined performance by France.

A team performance and their tactics were superb.

Sometimes you have to win ugly.

[MMHS]

So far, this generation has made the Final of both majors (2016 & 2018) - I believe, it's just the start of a glorious run. I expect France to make at least SF of next 3 EURO & WC.

[James]

Quality performance and they deserved to go through. Favourites to win the whole thing now.

[Saj]

ALways been a big fan of Varane.

Today was one of his best performances for his country.

[Hasan123]

Plenty more to come from this generation. Deschsmps isn't even selecting their best 11. Coman ,Martial,Langlet ,Lacazette, and Digne all at home.

[MenInG]

Firm favourites to take another title

[Arham_PakFan]

French fans dared to dream of a World Cup victory on Sunday as they prepared to watch the game on a sunny summer weekend after a tournament that has lifted spirits and led to a rare sense of national unity.
Football fever has slowly built over the last four weeks as the country took its young national team to heart, with ecstatic scenes after their semifinal victory, a sign of the country's hunger for success.

On what is a traditional holiday weekend to mark France's national day, many families will watch from camp sites or hotels, while giant screens have been erected in cities nationwide under exceptionally tight security.

The biggest gathering of all is expected in Paris where 90 000 will converge on a fanzone next to the Eiffel Tower – walking distance from the Champs Elysees boulevard where all great national triumphs are celebrated.

With success on the pitch, a country riven by tensions and still recovering from a series of terror attacks that have claimed nearly 250 lives since 2015 has been able to revel in a newfound feeling of togetherness.

"We must be proud to be French! We don't say it enough: We live well in France, we eat well, it's a beautiful country," star striker Antoine Griezmann reminded his compatriots on Friday.

Despite the country's enviable lifestyle, it has lacked "joie de vivre" for years, as shown in numerous surveys finding its people to be among some of the most pessimistic on the planet.

Much of this is down to decades of high unemployment, mounting public debt and the homegrown terror threat of late, which has fuelled fears about immigration and the success of far-right political parties.

The national football squad, the majority of whom are non-white, has provided a tonic to a divisive debate about French identity after their impeccable performance on and off the pitch as national ambassadors.

"France today is a France full of colours," midfield star Paul Pogba, who is French of Guinean origin, told a press conference last week. "We all feel French, we're all happy to wear this jersey.

"I'm very happy to have grown up in France, to have the French culture, even if I went abroad very early. France is beautiful as it is, that's how we love it, and that's how we'll always love it."

Such talk has led to inevitable comparisons to how France celebrated its diversity in 1998 when it last won the World Cup with its "Black, Blanc, Beur" (Black, White, north African) team led by Zinedine Zidane.

The optimism was short-lived, however.

- Political afterglow? -

One person desperate for victory will be 40-year-old President Emmanuel Macron, a keen football supporter who will be watching in Moscow from the stands with his wife Brigitte.

Former president Jacques Chirac enjoyed a surge in popularity following France's 1998 victory – and Macron too will hope to benefit from the afterglow amid a poll ratings slump.

The former investment banker is regularly targeted by critics for being elitist and out-of-touch – an image the beautiful game can help to soften.

A World Cup win "could indeed make him appear closer to voters. After all football is the sport where societal differences are blurred," said Frederic Dabi of the Ifop polling institute.

Any boost to economic growth would also be highly welcome, with Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire saying a win could give GDP a further shot in the arm.

Winning the World Cup would reinforce the message pro-business Macron has delivered to international investors since his election in May last year: that "France is back" as a dynamic, exciting place.

"There's an irrational element in the economy that is based on confidence, desire, enthusiasm," Le Maire told French television this week.

One sector that is already booming is the sports apparel industry.

Fans have been snapping up team jerseys, with the "authentic" Nike version repeatedly selling out despite its 160 euro ($185) price tag.

"It's not just buying a piece of cloth, it's more of a genuine transfer of emotion," claimed Virgile Caillet, who represents French sports goods stores, last week.

TERROR FEARS

Despite the excitement, security will be in the back of fans' minds after the series of deadly terror attacks since 2015, often by individuals attacking crowds enjoying a night out.

France has deployed 110 000 police and security forces across the country over the weekend, which coincided with the Bastille Day national holiday and military parade.

At the huge gated fan zone near the Eiffel Tower, police will be carrying out pat-downs and searches, part of expanded powers granted by a tough anti-terror law passed last year.

In case of a French victory some 4 000 police officers will be on duty Sunday night in Paris, and a huge perimetre surrounding the Champs Elysees will be blocked off to traffic, the first such operation in recent memory.

https://www.supersport.com/football/...ation_together

[hadi123]

They've won it!

[TM Riddle]

Champions!

[Mueez]

Oui. Les Bleus vont gagner et je ne sais pas pourqoui ils ne le gagneront pas...

With that being said, they are the most suited candidate to win the WC.

Only a wonder from the opposition will keep them away from getting their hands on the trophy!

And then there wasn't any wonder from the opposition in the final and France became the world champions.....