France
Flickr photo by Gustave Deghilage shared under a Creative Commons (BY-NC-ND 2.0) license.

FIFA World Cup 2018: France’s road to glory

Sarosh Ahmad·
International
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Many were skeptical of France’s chances heading into the World Cup, but the nation’s fans were delighted after their team’s showing…

Back when the 2014 World Cup took place, I was only 14 years old – and like others my age, I was far more interested in binge-watching television shows than tuning into football. And yet, the final that year last left a lasting impression on me; not because it was overflowing with quality, but because I slept through most of it. This time, however, I decided to take a keener interest in the tournament and opted to support France.

The team, despite being young and inexperienced, seemed to have the necessary might. Les Bleus had a dodgy start to their qualifying campaign but eventually grew into their own and managed to progress rather comfortably. In terms of playing style, the dynamic became somewhat reminiscent of the 1998 World Champions – and they eventually did justice to the comparison.

After a low-scoring surge through the group stages, where the Europeans managed two wins and a draw, and a thrilling match-up with Argentina in the Round of 16, France met Uruguay in the quarter-finals. The all-important clash allowed the players to channel a more dominant energy as they took control of the ball and began exerting pressure through their mercurial attack. Uruguay had their own phases of offensive play, but they were seemingly always on the back-foot. Their otherwise lethal forwards were found lacking and the absence of Edinson Cavani clearly disturbed their rhythm. In his strike-partner’s absence, Luis Suarez was unable to find a player to link-up with in the box – and inevitably, the team’s end-product suffered.

Mbappé proved to be a nuisance for the Uruguay defence with his unearthly pace, with the PSG forward nicknamed “Mbappé 37” by his teammates after clocking in at an astounding speed of 37 km/h in their previous match. It came as no surprise then that France found the opening goal with their very first attempt on target. A precise free-kick by Antoine Griezmann floated into the danger zone, finding Varane’s head as the defender placed his effort into the corner to put his side ahead. The lead was extended when Griezmann fired the ball at goal with his favoured left foot, drawing an unconvincing save from Muslera which ricocheted into his own net. It was the 86th minute and France had all but confirmed their semi-final berth.

France were pitted against Belgium, who had arguably been the World Cup’s best side up until then. Roberto Martinez’ men were vying for their first World Cup trophy while their opposition were in search of their second. Despite an early burst by Les Bleus, the Belgians had all the early possession. The French defence was noticeably unsettled by Eden Hazard’s genius, and attempts to recover the ball were proving futile as the pressure forced turnovers.

Umtiti and Varane were brilliant in defence and kept the attacking threat of their rivals to a minimum. After a hotly contested first-half in which both keepers pulled off superb saves to keep the scoreline level, the deadlock was broken. Shortly after the restart, Griezmann displayed more of his set-piece prowess, curling a cross towards the near post where Umtiti emphatically rose above Fellaini to head the ball past Courtois. With plenty of football left to be played, Belgium relentlessly pushed forward for the equaliser until the very end – but alas, it wasn’t to be.

The final-whistle blew and France had held on long enough to book their place in another final. In hindsight, it proved to be a remarkable journey for the players, who undeniable grew in confidence game-after-game. On the opposite end would be Croatia, who had surpassed the heroics of their own 1998 side – and had the perfect opportunity to avenge the defeat they had faced at the hands of the French. It was tempting to believe that their fairytale was written in the stars, but reality failed them once more.

In the electrifying atmosphere of the Luzhniki Stadium, the Croatians were clearly the better side for the vast majority of the opening stages. However, as is often the case, the footballing gods dealt them a massive blow against the run-of-play with an own-goal from Mario Mandžukić. A free-kick found the Juventus striker’s head, but he was unable to meet it cleanly and the ball’s trajectory betrayed him. The Croats refused to let it fuel their demise, and found a deserved equaliser through Ivan Perišić.

Once again, however, there was misfortune in store for Zlatko Dalić’s men. A contentious penalty was given after a VAR review, and Griezmann made no mistake from the spot – sending his team into the break with a clear advantage. Croatia were unable to replicate the same intensity in the second-half as the run-in to the final, coupled with their forlorn luck in that game, had taken a toll on them both mentally and physically. Two stunning strikes from Pogba and Mbappé in the 59th and 65th minute respectively had essentially buried their opposition’s hopes, and their second goal was in vain.

It was a bitter end for the Croatians, who had seen stars like Luka Modrić and Ivan Rakitić shine throughout, with the former picking up the Golden Ball for his performances. When the dust settles, they will undoubtedly look back on their showing with pride – and deservedly so. France, on the other hand, will be licking their lips at the prospect of winning future tournaments with such a youthful and driven side. It’s hard to establish where their ceiling lies as a team, but anyone betting against it being preposterously high would undoubtedly be foolish. Allez Les Bleus!