France faces Poland this Tuesday evening at Euro 2024. A defeat would make the Blues’ path to the final very difficult.
It is often said that the European Championship is the toughest competition in football, ahead of the World Cup. Kylian Mbappé also attracted the wrath of South American nations and in particular Argentinian players a few weeks ago by declaring that the Euro was a “very complicated” competition, more so than the World Cup.
Looking at the possible final table of this 2024 European Championship, it is however difficult to prove the striker of the France team wrong, and Didier Deschamps’ men must absolutely do the job this Tuesday against Poland to avoid a titanic journey to the final. Indeed, in the upper part of the table Spain and Germany could meet in the quarter-finals, and face Portugal in the semi-final. In the event of a defeat or a draw combined with a draw or victory for the Netherlands on Tuesday evening, the Blues would find themselves in this part of the table. They could then play Portugal in the quarterfinals. It is therefore a victory and no other result that the Blues must seek against Poland in order to finish first in their group and avoid this part of the table.
On the contrary, a victory on Tuesday evening would greatly open up the final table for the France team. First place in Group D would offer an affordable 8th against Turkey, the Czech Republic or Georgia, and a potential quarter-final against Belgium. And for that it is absolutely necessary for Romelu Lukaku’s teammates to finish first in their group as well, which is far from assured. During major international events like this Euro, there are often matches more decisive than others during the group stages, and this Tuesday evening against Poland is certainly one of them.