As France gears up to commence its World Cup campaign against Senegal at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, echoes of the shocking 2002 debut in South Korea come to mind, where the Teranga Lions stunned Les Bleus, igniting jubilation across the streets of Dakar. Seeking to capture their third World Cup title following triumphs in 1998 and 2018, France stands as one of the tournament's favorites, boasting a formidable lineup led by star players Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, and Michael Olise. In the lead-up to June, Les Bleus displayed their prowess by defeating Brazil 2-1 and Colombia 3-1 in their recent warm-up matches.
French coach Didier Deschamps voiced his concerns regarding the extensive security lines in the United States and expressed dissatisfaction with the traffic conditions en route to Foxborough, Massachusetts, where his team will face Norway in their opening round match. "The most challenging aspect is the roads, which require excessive travel time. It took us an hour and 15 minutes to reach the stadium prior to a match," he remarked. Having been at the helm since 2012, Deschamps plans to step down after the World Cup, aiming to leave a legacy of success.
Should France secure another title, they would become only the fifth nation to achieve three or more championships, joining the ranks of Brazil (five titles), Germany and Italy (four each), and Argentina (three). Mbappé, who clinched the Golden Boot in the 2022 tournament by netting eight goals, made history by becoming one of the few players to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final, joining England's Geoff Hurst from 1966. Now at the age of 27, he arrives at the June friendlies with an impressive tally of 56 international goals, just one shy of France's all-time record held by Olivier Giroud. It is worth noting that France faced a bitter defeat against Argentina in the 2022 final, which Mbappé personally stated he would never overcome.
Since their 2018 victory, France has faced several setbacks, including a defeat against Switzerland in the round of 16 at the 2021 Euro Cup, another loss to Argentina in the 2022 World Cup final, and a semifinal exit to Spain in the Euro 2024. Meanwhile, Norway is making its fourth World Cup appearance and first since 1998, led by the prolific 25-year-old striker Erling Haaland. With over 30 goals in four consecutive seasons at Manchester City and 55 international goals heading into June, he stands as the all-time leading scorer for Norway. "It's a great responsibility to lead Norway to the World Cup," Haaland stated, acknowledging the weight on his shoulders as he strives to achieve this goal. Notably, his father, Alfie, represented Norway in the 1994 World Cup in the United States.
Another key figure for Norway is Alexander Sørloth, a highly productive 30-year-old striker, while captain Martin Ødegaard has faced setbacks this season due to knee and shoulder injuries. This tournament marks Norway's first major competition since their group stage elimination in their only previous Euro participation in 2000. The Teranga Lions are set for their third consecutive World Cup appearance amidst a dispute with Morocco over claims of being the legitimate African champions. Senegal triumphed over Morocco in the African Cup of Nations final last January; however, they had the title stripped due to the team's conduct towards the end of the match. The African football confederation ruled that Senegal forfeited the match after coach Pape Thiaw withdrew his players from the field for 15 minutes to protest a penalty awarded to Morocco in the dying moments. Senegal is appealing this decision.
In addition to their 2021 African Cup of Nations victory over Egypt, where Sadio Mané scored the decisive penalty in a shootout after a goalless draw in the final, the Lions boast other notable players including goalkeeper Édouard Mendy, midfielder Idrissa Gueye, and defender Kalidou Koulibaly. Meanwhile, the Mesopotamian Lions qualified for their first World Cup since 1986 following a playoff victory against Bolivia, a tournament where they lost all three of their matches. Graham Arnold takes charge of the Australian team after two previous tenures. Key players include 30-year-old forward Aymen Hussein, who ranks fifth on the list of all-time scorers for his nation with 33 international goals; striker Mohanad Ali; and midfielder Amir Al-Ammari.
As reported by thetelegraph.com.
