24 years have passed since France were last Kings of Europe and, in six weeks, Didier Deschamps will try to put that right at Euro 2024 in Germany.
Of course, Les Bleus have enjoyed plenty of success under Deschamps, winning the World Cup in 2018 and the UEFA Nations League in 2021. And in Qatar in 2022, France were within a penalty shootout of retaining their world title.
To this SBOTOP writer, France still look the team to beat, and the Euro 2024 betting odds have Les Bleus and England at the top of the list with hosts Germany close behind.
Can anyone topple Deschamps’ men? Of course, they can. But with a squad dripping with talent and new names constantly appearing, they will take some beating.
In attack, midfield, and defence, France have world class players and competition for places, so let’s take a closer look at what the challengers will face when they meet Les Bleus.
Pace and power in attack
He’s a serious Ballon D’Or contender and has been one of the hottest properties in sport since he burst onto the scene at the 2018 World Cup, and captain Kylian Mbappe is only just coming into his prime.
A speedy forward with brilliant feet and superb vision, Mbappe’s leadership on the pitch, as well as his goals, are crucial to Les Bleus’ success. But however good he is, opposition defences cannot afford to double mark Mbappe because the players alongside him can be equally devastating, given an inch of space.
PSG teammate Ousmane Dembele has plenty of pace too. He’s a strong runner with superb delivery, and if he doesn’t make the starting XI, Dembele is one of the last players the opposition want to see warming up.
AC Milan veteran Olivier Giroud, is France’s all-time top scorer and, at 6’4”, he is one of the best headers in the game. And at the same height, Inter Milan’s Marcus Thuram is a real handful. PSG striker Randal Kolo Muani has it all at 6’2”, so he’s a powerful presence combined with an electric turn of pace that can be a nightmare for any centre-back.
This team is jam-packed with goals.
Youth and experience in midfield
One player we are sure will produce some spectacular Euro 2024 highlights is PSG’s 18-year-old star Warren Zaire-Emery, who has burst onto the European stage this season, starring in Ligue 1 and in PSG’s Champions League campaign.
He has just signed a four-year contract extension which could keep him at the Parc des Princes until 2029, and that is great news for the fans who are desperate to taste European success.
Zaire-Emery became the youngest French goal scorer in Champions League history in a 1-1 draw away to Borussia Dortmund, but he plays more as a defencive midfielder, able to break up play and launch attacks for France’s lightning speed attackers.
Alongside the Paris youngster is Juventus’ 29-year-old star Adrien Rabiot, a superb reader of the game and as elegant on the ball as he is tough in the tackle. He can play in a deep-lying role or as a box-to-box midfielder, and his experience will be invaluable to Zaire-Emery’s development.
Of course, the French are known for their flair and, at the front of the midfield or wide on the left we could see the artist Antoine Griezmann. For much of his career, the Atletico Madrid star has been played as a forward, and he is as lethal in front of goal as ever.
But at 33 years of age, he has all the tools needed to play a more intricate role, and his delivery into the box is as good as any.
Pure quality in defence
No matter how many match-winners a team has the trophies are won by the nations who also have a rock solid defence and, in modern times, one which can support their attack.
AC Milan’s Mike Maignan is in pole position for the goalkeeping slot while wing-backs Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez have shown how good they are in defence and raiding down the flanks.
At centre-back, France are blessed, and there is serious competition for places with Arsenal’s William Saliba and Barcelona’s Jules Kounde likely to get plenty of game time.
Saliba is a ball-playing defender and, since his return from loan at Marseille, the 23-year-old has improved week by week and is one of the most consistent players in the league at the heart of Arsenal’s defence.
Kounde can also play at right-back or on the right side of a back three, and that brings Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate and Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano into the mix.
From front to back, Les Bleus have a star-studded line-up, and they know how to win.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
