France has secured its position as the first semi-finalist in the ongoing World Cup after defeating Morocco. The team, managed by Didier Deschamps, demonstrated a strong performance, leading many to consider them favourites for the tournament. This victory follows their opening win against Senegal with a 3-1 score.
During the match against Morocco, Kylian Mbappe missed a penalty, though he later scored a goal, bringing his total to eight goals, level with Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot. France‘s attacking depth is notable, featuring players like Ousmane Dembele, who has scored five goals, and Michael Olise, who leads the assist chart with five.
French Squad Depth and Performance
The France squad showcases a wide array of talent from various leagues. Paris Saint-Germain contributes five players, including Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Lucas Hernandez, and Warren Zaire-Emery. Other clubs with multiple representatives include Real Madrid with three players, and AC Milan, Bayern Munich, and Crystal Palace each with two.
The squad draws talent from four different leagues, with Ligue 1 and the English Premier League each providing seven players. Kylian Mbappe plays for Real Madrid in Spain, while Michael Olise represents Bayern Munich in Germany. La Liga contributes four players, Serie A three, and the Bundesliga two.
Michael Olise, at 24 years old, is considered the most valuable player on the roster by transfer market value, having moved from Crystal Palace to Bayern Munich for a reported $68.5 million in 2024. Kylian Mbappe, aged 27, has an estimated value of $130 million and joined Real Madrid in 2024 on a free transfer after his contract with PSG expired. PSG had reportedly paid Monaco $205.7 million for him in 2017 when he was 18.
The team’s manager, Didier Deschamps, who also led France to victory in 2018, has been credited with the team’s strong performance. Their 2-0 win over Morocco further solidified their status as contenders, with the final scheduled for July 19.
Goalkeepers Counter Stutter Penalties
A notable trend in the tournament has been goalkeepers’ success against ‘stutter’ penalties. Kylian Mbappe‘s missed penalty against Morocco‘s goalkeeper, Yassine Bounou, highlighted this. Bounou has saved four penalties in his World Cup career, demonstrating a remarkable ability to anticipate penalty takers.
The ‘stutter’ technique involves pausing during the run-up to confuse the goalkeeper about the timing of the shot. However, goalkeepers like Bounou have adapted, often waiting until the last moment to react. Raul Jimenez of Mexico, who has missed only one of 29 club penalties, was also outsmarted by Bounou using this method.
Other players, including Lionel Messi for Argentina against Austria and Harry Kane for England against Croatia, have also missed stutter penalties in this World Cup. Kane was granted a retake, which he converted after abandoning the stutter technique.
Pulisic Injury and Aftermath
The United States‘ World Cup campaign concluded with discussions surrounding Christian Pulisic‘s injury. Following the match against Belgium, Pulisic indicated he was looking forward to rest. It was later revealed by The Athletic that he had sustained a bone bruise and microfracture in his right leg, an injury that would sideline him for several weeks.
This injury occurred after a demanding season for his club, AC Milan, and the national team. Despite the severity of the injury, some pundits, including Carli Lloyd, criticized Pulisic‘s comments about resting, suggesting that players should rest only after their careers conclude. Pulisic has played 46 times for club and country since last August.
The discussions around Pulisic‘s injury and performance overshadowed broader issues concerning the USMNT‘s inability to advance past the round-of-16 stage, despite having home advantage and a high-level manager.
The other six quarter-finalists were preparing for their matches, with Spain and Belgium scheduled to play later today.
Source: nytimes.com
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