Les Bleus finished at the top of Group F with five points from games against Germany, Portugal and Hungary, and former star Desailly is sure following their recent performances.
France finished first in the group of death
Marcel Desailly believes that the French national team cannot become more vital than they are now. Didier Deschamps’ team are the favourite to win Euro 2020 to add to the World Cup the title they claimed three years ago. Les Bleus finished at the top of Group F with five points from games against Germany, Portugal and Hungary, and former star Desailly is sure following their recent performances. “France convinced me. They finished first in the group of death. I’m satisfied,” he said. “They play 4-3-3 much higher than at the World Cup. Our three midfielders are conquerors, with the incredible help of Benzema and Griezmann. They are not afraid of anyone. We have all these facets that can vary.”
The team are solid
“Once we scored, and this is what happened against Germany, the opponents play higher, which opens up space for the famous speed of Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema. We are good in all areas. I don’t see how the French national team can progress. We have all the elements. When you have to play in another register, longer, for example, Olivier Giroud will come to the front of the attack. We’re talking about world champions! If they are all together at their best, they adapt to the opponent at the same time as they are. We’re solid, it’s awesome, and it’s not 11 players. The 1998 squad had a powerful group and magic weapon, Zinedine Zidane. Behind, the group was solid.”
“Now it’s the sum of individuals at their best, adapting to the match, to the opponent, to the moment. This team has it all.” The former Chelsea defender was part of the France squad that won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. But he believes the current side can do one better and continue to lift this year’s European Championship and then the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. “When I found out the next opponent that we respect, I instinctively put myself in the position of a quarter-finalist, and I looked at the teams we were going to face at this stage of the competition,” he said. “They can do like the Spaniards, in the opposite direction. We have a feeling that the progress of the France team will continue during the next World Cup; they can do it again!”