France has trashed every team which came in their way and remained undefeated even in the presence of teams like Belgium, Argentina and Croatia. In a world cup full of upsets, they played like champions from the very beginning of the competition.
France defeated Brazil in 1998 to be crowned as the world champions for the very first time and since then they have struggled to become the best. Although they managed to secure a place in the WC final of 2006 but it was a roller coaster ride.
This year, it was totally different, they played like lions, without any fear and they were different from the start.
Also read: ‘I couldn’t look at a football’ after World Cup: Neymar
Here are four positives which France will take from this year’s world cup.
- A healthy young side
Although, skill wise, French side turned out to be the most mature side of the competition but according to age, they had the second youngest team in the world cup with an average team age of 26.
This is a major positive as a young side that has everything to conquer the world of football. With young players like Dembele (21), Mbappe (19), Umtiti (24), Tolisso (19) and Lemar (22), they have a very bright future ahead and they will definitely remain as the most feared team for a fair amount of time.
- Mbappe
“Kylian Mbappe Lottin” remember the name. He is the next big thing in football world, in fact, he is already labeled as the best striker by many pundits.
His pace, skills and accuracy are too much to handle for any defense. The way he played against Argentina in the quarter-finals clearly shows what he is capable of.
He is 19-year-old and has a tank full of gas in him. He can serve France for more than 12 years and has already proved his worth for the team.
- Deschamps “The Genius”
Who would have thought that Deschamps, who was a very valuable member of 1998 world cup squad, will turn out to be a genius in his managerial career also.
Dropping experienced campaigner like Lacazette and going with a 19-year-old kid Mbappe wasn’t an easy decision. His decisions were always questioned especially after the loss of Euro 2016 final against Portugal. But the way he gathered his team and worked on their weaknesses is priceless.
It wasn’t an easy job for him especially when he lost key players like Koscielny and Payet just before the world cup, but he still managed to make a balanced side, which only a genius can do.
- The World Cup
Yes, obviously, the biggest positive is the prestigious trophy of World Cup. They are the kings of the biggest sport in the world. First qualifiers then final stage, then knockouts and then the mega finale, they have managed to perform in a spectacular manner from beginning till end.
It needs a lot of effort and guts to continue a good form and to keep your nerves in control when needed.
A world cup where teams like Italy and Netherlands failed to make it to the final stage, a world cup where the defending champions Germany was sent home by a 57th seed South Korea and a world cup where a player like Messi failed to perform, France managed to perform and control their nerves, and this is the reason why they are the champions of the world.