On Saturday, the France team faces England in the quarter-finals of the World Cup. What composition will Didier Deschamps line up while two players are under suspension?
22:07 – The Blues in full training
Two days before the quarter-final of the 2022 World Cup between the France team and England, Didier Deschamps was able to count on a full group this Thursday in training. After Youssouf Fofana and Dayot Upamecano’s press conference, the Blues all trained. Absent on Tuesday before participating in the collective session on Wednesday, Kylian Mbappé was present.
20:32 – Youssouf Fofana is ironic about the Mbappé-Walker duel
Present, this Thursday, at the press point of the France team, Youssouf Fofana spoke about the highly anticipated duel during the quarter-final of the World Cup, France-England (Saturday, 8 p.m.), between Kylian Mbappé and Kyle Walker. The English right-back said on this subject that he “knew” how to stop the French striker. Asked about Kyle Walker’s statements, Youssouf Fofana answered him with a touch of irony. “It’s all to his credit if he knows how to stop Kylian, but 19 other teams in Ligue 1 are waiting for the solution. The truth is on the ground, we’ll see what happens. We trust Kylian”, a- he assured.
19:13 – Dayot Upamecano talks about his new role with the Blues
In a press conference this Thursday, before the quarter-final of the 2022 World Cup against England, Dayot Upamecano confided in his new place within the France team. “The coach told me that I had a role to play in this team, that I had to put my voice on the pitch. I started doing that in training,” he said. Thursday at a press conference. When responding to a journalist who questioned him about a remonstrance made to Kylian Mbappé, the Bayern Munich defender corrected. “I didn’t put Kylian back in place, I wouldn’t say it like that. I told him that he had to close in the middle to close the pass and not have too many spaces. Kylian also gives me advice in match”, he assured, all smiles. “I see the pitch, I’m a defender. So if a player is in the wrong place, I can tell him: ‘Go higher’ or ‘Left it comes’. That’s my role, I know how to do it. I do at Bayern so why wouldn’t I do it here?”, Added the one who should start in central defense on Saturday against the English.
17:24 – The record of selections for Lloris against England?
There is very little doubt about it. Barring a last-minute disaster, Hugo Lloris will indeed be present in the goals of the France team from the kick-off of the quarter-final against England on Saturday evening (8 p.m.). For the captain of the Blues, this will be a very special and historic match since the Tottenham player will honor his 143rd selection with the Habs, thus beating Lilian Thuram’s record, equaled against Poland (142) . A historic moment for a goalkeeper who intends to further increase his number of selections by the end of the competition.
14:20 – Two players under threat of suspension
In the composition that he should line up from the kick-off on Saturday evening, Didier Deschamps will start two players under suspension. And not least: Jules Koundé, the defender who has become a starter in the right lane to replace Benjamin Pavard, and Aurélien Tchouaméni, the midfielder. The two players have already received a yellow card since the start of the competition, against Denmark for the first, against Poland for the second. However, if they again receive a warning against England, they will be suspended for the possible semi-final, as provided for in the regulations in the event of an accumulation of two yellow cards during the World Cup. However, the counters will be reset in the semi-finals.
11:45 – The same starting line-up against England?
Since qualifying for the quarter-finals of the World Cup, the Blues have still not made a set-up. However, The Team argues that Didier Deschamps will field the same starting XI against England as against Poland. Not a change seems planned by the selection. The possible starting line-up: Lloris – Kounde, Varane, Upamecano, T. Hernandez – Griezmann, Tchouaméni, Rabiot – Dembélé, Giroud, Mbappé.
07/12/22 – 14:07 – France will play England in its garden, or almost
Saturday evening, the France team will play its quarter-final against England at the Al-Bayt stadium, located in Al-Khor, a town 50km north of Doha. Never since the start of the competition have the Blues played in this stadium with nearly 69,000 seats, built especially for the World Cup. On the other hand, the English have already walked this lawn several times. The Three Lions indeed faced the United States in their second pool match (0-0). Above all, it is in this same enclosure that the players of Gareth Southgate eliminated Senegal in the round of 16 (3-0). This same stadium will be the scene of the semi-final for which France or England will qualify.
07/12/22 – 10:55 – Pavard on the bench? “A Sporting Choice”
Will Benjamin Pavard line up against England? Unlikely. Sidelined since the second match of the Blues at the World Cup against Denmark, the tricolor defender has not played since the opening meeting against Australia. However, Guy Stéphan, the assistant coach of Didier Deschamps, wanted to dispel any suspicion of discomfort internally. “Benjamin does not play, that does not prevent him from training, from behaving well in the group. You have surely been able to see it in the images of joy after Denmark and after Poland”, he said. said at a press conference. The Bayern Munich player should not put on the blue jersey again in Qatar: “I had a little discussion with him, obviously he’s disappointed, but for the moment it’s a sporting choice that’s been made. It’s the future that will tell us if he will come back or not.”
06/12/22 – 7:05 p.m. – Le Graët praises the French team
In an interview given to Figaro, Noël Le Graët has returned to the course of the France team since the start of the World Cup. The president of the FFF is satisfied with an “exemplary” attitude, praising the qualities of a Kylian Mbappé whom he considers “exceptional”, the “four lungs” of an Antoine Griezmann or even an Olivier Giroud, classified as “one of the best strikers in the world” in his eyes. Without forgetting Captain Hugo Lloris, “head of the delegation in all discussions, endowed with great courtesy, intelligent, hardworking and above all what a goalkeeper!” Noël Le Graët says he is seduced by the “moral solidity and organization” of the Tricolores, led by “Didier [qui] has them so much in hand.” For the boss of French football, the coach has a “considerable” weight in this set. And the quarter-final against England? “It will be tight … but we will win”, prognosis he.
06/12/22 – 17:24 – Mbappé absent from training
Kylian Mbappé did not train with the group on Tuesday. The striker of the France team was removed from the field by the tricolor staff for work “in the recovery room” said the management. No worries about the health of the top scorer of this World Cup, simply sidelined as a precaution.
The numbers of each player of the France team were revealed on November 15, just one week before their entry into the competition. Captain and goalkeeper of the team, Hugo Lloris wears the number 1. We note that the 9 was left to Olivier Giroud when Karim Benzema inherited the 19 before leaving the Blues on withdrawal. Antoine Griezmann wears the 7 and the 10 was offered to Kylian Mbappé.
The official photo of the France team was unveiled on November 15. Taken at Clairefontaine the day before their departure for Qatar, it was – something unprecedented – done indoors because of the weather.
As usual before each major competition, the jersey of the France team for the World Cup was officially unveiled on September 15 by the equipment supplier Nike. The outfits do not present any big surprises and correspond to the “leaks” mentioned for several days.
The home jersey is sober with midnight blue and a gold logo, while the white breaks the codes a little more. “The French collection is a fusion of the heritage and the future of the country,” wrote the equipment manufacturer in its press release. “The home kit’s oak leaf and olive branch motif represents strength, solidarity and peace. Classic French design elements include a tricolor insert on the shorts, jacquard sock and cuff as well as only golden details”.
Here is the ranking of the top scorer of the French football team with Olivier Giroud at the top of the hierarchy ahead of Thierry Henry: