What happens to France, almost all candidates for the World Cup, which flirts with relegation to the League of Nations

It can happen anywhere where a handful of football fans and the like sit down to talk about the World Cup in Qatar. An editorial office, a bar, a square, a barbecue with friends. Most will tell the main candidate to win the most coveted Cup is France. Some will say Brazil, another England, the bolder one will be encouraged with Belgium. And of course the Scaloneta Argentina will have its space. But for names, for continuity in Didier Deschamps’ process, for the impressive rebirth of Karim Benzema, for the base that has been maintained since the conquest of Russia 2018, the Gauls seem to be a step above the others.

Let’s examine the data: according to the specialized site Transfermarkt, it is the second selected with highest market value (with 1,080,000 euros; only behind England). In the FIFA ranking it ranks third (very close to Brazil and Belgium, in the lead, and just ahead of Argentina).

He arrived at the World Cup after completing the Qualifiers: won undefeated Group D, comfortably ahead of Ukraine, with six wins and two draws and only three goals conceded. 2021 has culminated it no defeat on the playing field (His only crash was on penalties against Switzerland, in the round of 16 of the European Championship. he beat Germany, Belgium and Spain, the last two to be consecrated 2021 Nations League Champion.

This year he started at a fast pace, with two friendlies: 2-1 against Ivory Coast and 5-0 against South Africa. But then unexpected shadows appeared in the League of Nations. In Serie A Group 1 he has already played four of the six games and has just scored two points. goes last.

The recent defeat against Croatia (0-1, goal by Luka Modric, from a penalty) left him without access to the Final Four (the semifinals) and left him at risk of relegation to B. To ensure his stay, in the double round of September, he will have to beat Austria, at home, and leaders Denmark, in Copenhagen. Can everyone’s candidate go downhill? We will see…

The question is inevitable: What’s wrong with this France that seemed supersonic and unstoppable? It’s rare. It has elite figures (Kanté, Griezmann, Mbappé, just to name three emblematic cases), most of them world champions and / or with their clubs. Cracks. Elite where it is analyzed.

The best Benzema (MVP of the last Champions League) has joined. He has experience and an interesting substitute. Is it the wear and tear of a difficult season? Could it be that he did not establish this League of Nations as a priority but as a test? It is true that he made a lot of variations from game to game, as if Deschamps had doubts. Or is it the evil of abundance?

In any case, he has a kind of advantage for the World Cup: the initial round hardly resembles a “Group of death”. For zone D, they will face Australia, Denmark and Tunisia. It’s known: France is much more (or has much more) than its original rivals. You will have to prove it.

There is another question: France knows – from experience on their long journey as an exceptional national team – that Names or what the specialists point out are not enough. To be champions or to reach the last day of the World Cup it is essential to achieve the amalgamation of a convinced squad.

The documentary shows The Blues: the close link between the success of the French national team and its ability to transform the diverse and dispersed into a strong group. Deschamps understood this at that moment when, as captain, he raised the trophy under the sky of Paris, in 1998. And already in this cycle as a coach when he raised the same trophy in Russia. With many of those now, beyond some near setbacks, will go for everything.