France are a team that have dominated international football since 2016. They reached the final of the 2016 Euros, unfortunately losing to Portugal, before going all the way in a dominant fashion in 2018, remaining unbeaten on the way to the FIFA World Cup trophy. But after that victory, their next concern would have definitely been to end what many football fans now refer to as the 'defending champions'.
And all signs are pointing towards this quadrennial competition being tough for the defending champions. They lost four players before World Cup, and one just a day before the mega event kicks off.
Injury woes affect France
It started with Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba, who has not played a single minute of football this entire season. Pogba tore his meniscus during Juventus's preseason tour of the United States in July, two weeks after rejoining the Italian club from Manchester United.
This was followed by an even big blow after Premier League and Chelsea talisman N'golo Kante also hurt himself. The Frenchman is expected to be out until February with a hamstring problem and will be missed in the middle of the park for the defending champions.
The news of Pogba and Kante missing the World Cup is softened given France's abundance of talent in his position, with Real Madrid youngsters Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelin Tchouameni ready to take the mantle for France. Their inexperience at an international level is clear as day and this increases their chances of an early qualification.
Losing Benzema a significant blow
Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema was France's biggest achieving player heading into the World Cup. But they were dealt yet another big hit after the striker was ruled out of the World Cup after suffering a thigh injury. After the news of his injury broke on Sunday, the day that the World Cup kicks off.
Ahead of their first match of the tournament against Australia on Tuesday, November 22, France's head coach Didier Deschamps confirmed that he would not be replaced by any forward, further weakening a forward line that lost RB Leipzig starlet Christopher Nkunku.
Off-pitch troubles highlighted
It started when Pogba's brother Mathias Pogba accused the midfielder of using 'witchcraft' to curse their star player Kylian Mbappe. The two teammates have reportedly solved their issues, according to the Paris St Germain (PSG) forward, “He called me, and gave his version of the facts. It’s his word against the word of his brother. He (Paul Pogba) already has certain problems and I think it’s not the time to add to them for him. We’ll see how that all goes, I’m pretty detached from all that.”
But this was the beginning of their controversies. The biggest one was yet to come after Noël Le Graët, the president of the French Football Federation, was accused by a number of female employees of sexual harassment, charges he vehemently refutes.
French sports magazine 'So Foot' released a six-page investigation with anonymous former and current employees that had inappropriate text messages that Le Graët allegedly sent to the women. So Foot also described an alleged toxic culture at the federation. Since then, France’s sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera announced the investigation — known as an audit and control mission.
Can they turn the tide?
France also won the 2020–21 Nations League after beating Spain in the final but coming closer to the World Cup, their performance in the UEFA competition has been less than subpar. Les Blues followed up a shock 2-1 home loss to their Group D opponent Denmark and a 1-1 draw to Croatia with a 1-1 draw to Austria. They managed to finish third in their group and will not get a chance to defend their crown.
Heading to Qatar, a lot will be riding on this young team. But Deschamps is not worried. “I am extremely sad for Karim, for whom this World Cup was a major objective,” said France coach Didier Deschamps. "Despite this new blow for the France team I have full faith in my squad. We will do all we can to rise to the huge challenge that awaits us.”
