BOSTON (United States) — France come into this year’s World Cup as one of the leading contenders for the trophy having reached the final in the last two editions. But their opponents on Tuesday serve as a warning of the dangers of over-confidence.
Les Bleus entered the 2002 tournament in Japan and South Korea as overwhelming favourites to retain the title they had won four years earlier.
But hindered by an injury to Zinedine Zidane, they suffered a shock 1-0 loss to Senegal in Seoul and never recovered, crashing out in the group stage without scoring a goal.
Didier Deschamps captained the 1998 and 2000 teams before retiring from international football, meaning he was not part of that fiasco.
Almost a quarter of a century later, Deschamps is the coach nearing the end of a remarkable 14-year spell in charge – the 57-year-old will step down after the World Cup.
He knows that how his superstar side approach their first game at the MetLife Stadium, with the skyscrapers of Manhattan in the distance, will be crucial.
“The first match is very important but it’s not decisive. Starting with a win in a four-team group is ideal and always the objective,” Deschamps told reporters at the venue according to AFP.
“But the one thing we can’t measure or quantify is the emotional aspect. Some players might tense up with the atmosphere around the match.
“The ideal thing is to be focused but also relaxed,” he added, describing Senegal as a “very, very high-level opponent”.
France arrived at their base in Boston last Wednesday, fresh from a 3-1 win over Northern Ireland in their final warm-up game, in which Michael Olise scored a hat-trick.
But they were handed a warning a few days earlier, when they suffered their only defeat in the last year, a 2-1 loss at home to Ivory Coast.
France has reached the final in four of the last seven World Cups, winning two and also losing two more on penalties.
Champions in Russia in 2018, they were denied by Argentina in a shoot-out in Qatar in 2022.
New faces have been introduced since then, including the brilliant Olise, the London-born Bayern Munich winger set to play as a number 10.
He forms part of a fearsome attacking trio, with Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé of Paris Saint-Germain on the right and captain Kylian Mbappé as the spearhead.
The Real Madrid striker, set to win a 99th cap against Senegal, is level with Pelé as the sixth-highest goal-scorer of all time at World Cups on 12 goals. Only Miroslav Klose, the Brazilian Ronaldo, Gerd Mueller, Just Fontaine and Lionel Messi have more.
Mbappe scored four in 2018 and eight in 2022, including a hat-trick in the final.
France’s multiple attacking options also include Rayan Cherki, Bradley Barcola, Desire Doue, Marcus Thuram, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Maghnes Akliouche.
They also have a formidable centre-back pairing of William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano, and a powerful midfield led by Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni.
“This is my second World Cup. In 2018 it was all new and it was beautiful to win it. This time it’s different,” said N’Golo Kante, the 35-year-old midfielder who is one of three members of the team that played in the final in Russia who are present here.
“We have new players, but it is still just as beautiful. And I really want to make the most of it and win again.”
As one of the top four-ranked teams, France were seeded in the draw but their path to the later stages will not be easy.
First, they must come through the Senegal game before facing outsiders Iraq and then taking on Erling Haaland’s Norway – a tough Group I in which complacency could be severely punished.
Senegal, who was controversially stripped of their Africa Cup of Nations title earlier this year, is hungry to prove they are the true champions of the continent, as African football makes inroads on the world’s biggest stage with Morocco’s historic run to the semi-final four years ago.
“African football has changed a lot in recent years. We saw it at the last World Cup … it’s not a surprise anymore,” said Senegal coach Pape Thiaw, who was a player on the sidelines when the Lions of Teranga clinched their famous win 24 years ago.
He added: “Is it a surprise if Senegal beats France? Well, no, because we have world-class players.”
