France, then. What is there to say? They have the world’s greatest footballer, a manager who has seen and done it all, and a squad packed with players who have experienced the highest level of competition for club and country. Winning tournaments is what France do these days, and with the firepower they’re taking to Germany with them, they may be able to win Euro 2024 at a canter.
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The manager
Didier Deschamps is the third longest-serving manager of a European nation and has overseen France’s return to the top of the world game. He was appointed in 2012, in the aftermath of a chaotic World Cup in South Africa two years prior. Blessed with an outstanding talent pool, he has turned France into a team to be feared again.
His winning mentality was forged by a hugely successful playing career, which saw him win the Champions League twice, with Marseille and Juventus, before his crowning moment at the World Cup in 1998, where he lifted the trophy as captain of the national team on home soil.
A leader as a player and now again as a coach, he has taken France to World Cup finals in successive tournaments, winning it in 2018 and finishing runners-up, after a penalty shootout, to Argentina in 2022, as well as winning the Nations League in 2021 and reaching the Euro 2016 final.
His teams have become ruthlessly efficient at major tournaments, with Deschamps happy to change course if that is what circumstance demands, as he did before that most recent World Cup, where he abandoned a 3-4-1-2 setup for a more recognisable 4-3-3. He recently told French newspaper Le Parisien that “adaptation” is his watchword.
He is a manager who is fiercely loyal to key players who have not let him down, such as Olivier Giroud and Antoine Griezmann, and is not afraid of difficult or unexpected decisions. N’Golo Kante’s surprise return to the squad despite now playing in the Saudi Pro League reflects that.
If you wish to have a glimpse into Deschamps’ mentality, just know that he told French news outlet RMC Sport two years ago that he holds the plank position for one hour every day. He’s 55.
The European Championship, which he won as a player in 2000, is the final trophy that eludes him as a coach on the international stage. Considering the strength of this squad, you would not rule out Deschamps completing his collection in Berlin on July 14.
Deschamps with his not-so-secret weapon Kylian Mbappe (Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)The household name in waiting
Warren Zaire-Emery.
The French squad has not evolved much in the 18 months since the World Cup but there are some notable changes. Goalkeeper is one. Mike Maignan had spent his international career in the shadow of former captain Hugo Lloris, but the latter has now retired from France duty. Aged 28, the AC Milan keeper is set to be France’s No 1 at this tournament.
There are new faces too, such as Bradley Barcola. The 21-year-old winger was struggling for recognition in Lyon’s reserves at the time of Qatar 2022 but a whirlwind rise has seen him become a leading performer for Paris Saint-Germain, persuading Deschamps to take the previously uncapped player, who made his debut in a warm-up friendly against Kosovo on Wednesday, to a major tournament.
But the household name in waiting is Barcola’s team-mate, Zaire-Emery.
The 18-year-old became PSG’s youngest ever player in August 2022, but this past season has been his breakthrough.
The central midfielder played regularly for new manager Luis Enrique’s team and he has belied his age, fusing strength and grace while proving unfazed by the pressure pit of Paris. He became France’s third-youngest player and second-youngest scorer last year, and looks set for a long international career.
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi with Zaire-Emery after the player’s contract extension (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images)Strengths
France are a fearsome prospect, and that was underlined by their qualification campaign. They scored 29 goals, conceded three and won all but one of their eight games. And that was the final fixture away against Greece, a 2-2 draw, after they had already secured qualification.
They have strength in depth. You can create a France squad that would be competitive at this tournament made of those who are out injured or have been overlooked. They would include Lucas Hernandez, Jean-Clair Todibo, Christopher Nkunku, Matteo Guendouzi, Michael Olise and Moussa Diaby. In Kylian Mbappe, they have a global superstar in attack.
But the key factor that elevates the strength of this squad beyond just their talent is their experience. Within the 25-man squad Deschamps has selected (one fewer than permitted), 18 have reached a World Cup final and seven have won that competition, while only five are yet to feature in a major tournament. That level of know-how in knockout football is a sizeable advantage.
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Weaknesses
Fitness and form are the two key areas that might hamper a squad which, on paper, has very few limitations.
There are some concerns going into the tournament. Kingsley Coman, Maignan and Aurelien Tchouameni have been named in the squad despite carrying injuries. Deschamps has the flexibility to alter his selections before June 7 but ensuring those players are up to speed after their respective periods on the sidelines, particularly in the case of Coman who has been out with a groin injury following a knee issue earlier in the year, is another matter.
Midfield no longer appears to be the concern that it was before the 2022 World Cup, and the return of Kante, who is now 33 but has “regained all of his physical abilities”, according to Deschamps, reinforces that. Right-back had a question mark over it earlier in the year but Jonathan Clauss and particularly Jules Kounde have returned to form for their clubs in recent weeks.
Up front, Deschamps will want to ensure that Mbappe’s lack of regular 90-minute appearances for PSG late in the season (just three times in their final 14 league games) does not impact his form at the tournament. Likewise, Randal Kolo Muani — a rather fortunate inclusion — has lacked minutes and form at PSG.
Deschamps says Al-Ittihad’s Kante, right, is up to speed again (Ryan Lim/AFP/Getty Images)Things you didn’t know
Besides Deschamps’ ability to hold the plank, you may not know that Ousmane Dembele watches Sunderland in his spare time, Tchouameni hosts a YouTube show called ‘The Bridge’ (in English), and Griezmann hosts one called ‘Grizi Huddle’ on the NFL (in Spanish).
There are some key French staples worth knowing, too. The first is a 1994 remix of Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive by Dutch pop group Hermes House Band, famed for its ‘la la la la’ refrain, which became the unofficial anthem of the country’s 1998 World Cup win after its popularity in the dressing room became public. It still conjures memories of that triumph and is sung on the terraces today.
Also on the terraces, you are sure to find Clement d’Antibes, a man dubbed France’s most famous supporter. Clement Tomaszewski, his real name, has followed his team at nine World Cups and to 300 matches across more than 40 countries. He is famed for bringing his good luck charm, a rooster named Balthazar, to tournaments.
QATAR : en route pour ma 9éme coupe du monde !!mes + belles coupes du monde en ” famille ” en 1998 Finale avec mon fils Christophe — Berlin , en 2006 finale avec ma fille Fabienne — Brésil en 2014 , avec Chris et Anais — Corée du sud en 2002 pic.twitter.com/Al0OcWj8LO
— Clément d’Antibes TOMASZEWSKI (@AntibesClement) November 18, 2022
Expectations back home
Unsurprisingly, considering the strength of the squad and their recent successes, hopes are high in France. This team are popular too. All 29,000 tickets made available for the three group matches against Austria, the Netherlands and Poland were snapped up in a matter of hours back in December.
France have a history of embracing chaos at major tournaments, and that never feels too far away. But this year is a lot calmer and the national team have a strong relationship with their public. The adage of France either going well or going home early is beginning to fade as more tournaments pass with success and without incident. Considering their efficiency, underlined by their near-flawless qualification campaign, it is hard to see France not challenging for the trophy.
The French won the Euros in 1984 and 2000, so are now seeking to match Italy and Germany with a third title.
France’s provisional squad
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (West Ham), Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Brice Samba (Lens).
Defenders: Jonathan Clauss (Marseille), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), William Saliba (Arsenal), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), Theo Hernandez (AC Milan), Ferland Mendy (Real Madrid), Benjamin Pavard, Dayot Upamecano (both Bayern Munich).
Midfielders: N’Golo Kante (Al-Ittihad), Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), Adrien Rabiot (Juventus), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid), Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain), Youssouf Fofana (Monaco).
Forwards: Kylian Mbappe, Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembele (all Paris Saint-Germain), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan), Randal Kolo Muani (Paris Saint-Germain), Olivier Giroud (AC Milan).
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(Top photo: Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)
Source link : https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5511762/2024/06/06/france-euros-2024-squad-guide/
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Publish date : 2024-06-06 00:13:41
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