France avoid distractions and focus on Socceroos
GROUP D: Injury-hit Les Bleus still believe in their chances
DOHA: Nothing is going to disrupt France in their opening World Cup game against Australia — not Karim Benzema’s absence, and especially not the ‘OneLove’ armband row in Qatar, Les Bleus captain Hugo Lloris said yesterday.
The defending champions start their campaign in Group D today, looking to beat the Socceroos just like they did to kick off their 2018 journey in Russia.
They have been hit by a series of injuries, which ruled key midfielders N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba, and most recently Ballon d’Or winner Benzema, who left the squad in the early hours of Sunday after withdrawing with a thigh injury, and centre back Presnel Kimpembe.
“We still believe in our chances, in our squad. The last-minute withdrawals, especially Karim’s, did not help,” Lloris told a news conference.
“But I want to think that the team will move on.”
Several teams — England, Wales, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and Denmark — had planned to wear the OneLove armband against any form but, in a joint statement, backed down hours before England’s opening game against Iran yesterday.
According to Fifa rules, team equipment must not have any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images, and during Fifa finals competitions, the captain of each team “must wear the captain’s armband provided by Fifa.”
France had not planned any action, staying clear from controversy.
“I want to say that Fifa organises the competition and it sets a frame, rules. Us players are here to play football and represent our country on a sporting level,” Lloris said.
“On that level, the first game is always extremely important and as defending champions, the expectations are even higher for us.”
The defending champions have exited the World Cup at the end of the group phase in four of the last five editions.
France coach Didier Deschamps needs to reshuffle his attacking line in the absence of Benzema, with veteran Olivier Giroud likely to start as a lone forward.
The 36-year-old has long been underestimated as he does not have the brilliance of Kylian Mbappe or Benzema, but he has proved reliable and is only two shy of Thierry Henry’s all-time goal scoring record of 51 with Les Bleus.
“Lately he’s been adored. France is delighted, I’m delighted and so is Olivier,” Deschamps said of the AC Milan forward with a grinding smile.
Striker Marcus Thuram should start on the bench.
The Borussia Moenchengladbach forward is son of Lilian Thuram, one of the star players in a France team captained by Deschamps that won the 1998 World Cup.
At the back, Deschamps will be able to rely on centre back Raphael Varane, who he said has shaken off a hamstring injury that had prevented him from training with the team last week.
“He is doing well and available for tomorrow’s game,” Deschamps said.
Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has much less proven quality to choose from and will be looking to Australia’s famous physicality and fighting spirit to deliver a first World Cup finals win for the country since 2010.
Failing that, with Group D matches against Denmark and Tunisia to follow, Australia will be desperate to avoid a repeat of the 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Germany that derailed their 2010 campaign before it really got started.
While Arnold’s side struggled to qualify — only stamping their ticket via a penalty shoot-out in an intercontinental play-off against Peru in June — he has included a handful of inexperienced but highly confident attackers in his squad.
“It’s our first World Cup and we really want to shock the world,” said winger Awer Mabil.
“I think we have the quality to do that, we just have to show our ability.”