France look to become the first nation to win two successive World Cup titles in sixty years when they face a high-flying Argentina side in the World Cup final. See Last Word on Football’s France Predicted Lineup vs Argentina for the biggest game in the football calendar.
France Predicted Lineup vs Argentina
How France Have Lined-up Recently
Les Bleus have maintained a pretty set lineup across the course of the knockout games, Their biggest threat, even against tough teams like Argentina, remains their frontline. Kylian Mbappe has been a nightmare to deal with because of the unpredictability of his game. Ousmane Dembele’s impressive crossing and pace help add more directness to the team, while Antoine Griezmann is the one to glue all the things together in the final third. Olivier Giroud’s crisp finishing skills have helped him soar in this competition so far.
Read More: Griezmann Makes the Difference, France Player Ratings vs Morocco
Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchoumeni has ensured N’Golo Kante or Paul Pogba’s presences aren’t missed, with Adrien Rabiot also adding more energy and legs. At the back, Raphael Varane is indispensable, with Jules Koundé and Theo Hernandez impressing in their full-back roles too. Didier Deschamps has found a great balance to his lineup in the World Cup and is likely to stick with the winning formula for his major game.
France Recent Form
France are the first reigning World Cup champions to win their opening game since 2006 🏆 pic.twitter.com/Z02LcTdvIR
— GOAL (@goal) November 22, 2022
France were able to break down the ‘World Cup defending champions’ curse’ that was seemingly in place throughout the World Cup editions of the 21st century. After going down in the opening game against Australia, they rallied back to get a huge 4-1 win. Some Mbappe magic helped them defeat Denmark in the second half, aiding them to win their group even before they played the final game. After resting many players for that match, Deschamps saw his side fall to a narrow loss to Tunisia, but that didn’t affect their chances of impressing at the World Cup.
Les Bleus picked up their pace in the Round of 16 with a dominant win over Poland, setting up a mouth-watering quarterfinal with England. They were able to outclass the Three Lions in this one, riding on their luck a little bit to get a win. In the semi-final, France were too good for an admirable Morocco side and picked up a 2-0 win over them to get to the final. They’ll have to produce their best performance so far to defeat Argentina on Sunday.
France Tactics
More than anything else, France have maintained an impressive balance to their gameplay – which has been vital in helping them sail their way to the final. Even though the likes of Karim Benzema, Christopher Nkunku, Paul Pogba, and N’Golo Kante all missed the tournament, Les Bleus have used their richly-talented squad to trouble opponents in almost all parts of the field.
Deschamps has used the 4-2-3-1 formation that has helped him attain so much success with the French team over the years. Fortunately for him, he’s been able to inherit a devastating front line in this campaign as well. Mbappe is making his case for being one of the best players to ever play at the World Cup, already having nine goals in the competition – including four in this tournament.
The Frenchman’s raw pace and acceleration through the left are scary for defenders. Moreover, his ruthless finishing and spark in the final third are bound to help his side cause problems for Argentina. Beside Mbappe is the hard-working Griezmann, who almost seems to be playing in a mix of a no. 10 and a no. 8 role – helping create chances as well drop in deep to create a sturdy midfield-three line to protect the backline.
Dembele’s pace and crossing ability help give France more flexibility on the right and the power to keep the opposition guessing. Giroud has been an ideal target man with his excellent hold-up and link-up style but has also proven himself as a clinical goal-scorer by taking his chances perfectly. If Argentina aren’t able to maintain utmost concentration, they’ll find it hard to keep France’s fluid and explosive frontline quiet.
Read More: Analyzing World Cup Emerging Players Featuring Josko Gvardiol
Young midfielder Tchouameni has formed a strong partnership with Rabiot. While the Real Madrid man is tasked to sit in front of his frontline, working hard to cut out opportunities, Rabiot is given a more free role where he persistently presses the opposition midfielders and adds an extra body to the attack with his late runs. At the back, Jules Kounde and Theo Hernandez have different roles in their full-back areas.
While Kounde is more concerned with the defensive part and sometimes even acts as a third centre-back, Hernandez is given free reigns to bomb through the left. The AC Milan defender’s excellent dribbling ability and incisiveness help him create a formidable partnership with Kylian Mbappe, with their explosive runs troubling teams. In the backline, Raphael Varane is the commander-in-chief responsible for maintaining a tight line and often trying to manoeuvre the offside trap.
Hugo Lloris has been excellent at the World Cup and acted like a leader with his spectacular, timely saves. France are probably going to play a patient waiting game against Argentina. They’ll let them have the ball and look to restrict the freedom of Leo Messi and his fellow attacking players. On the counter-attacks, the pace of Mbappe and Dembele is key to orchestrating major chances and Les Bleus’ players have to be really clinical to get the job done on Sunday.
France Injuries To Consider
Deschamps will be pleased to know that all the players that featured in the semi-finals have been declared fit for the final. Adrien Rabiot missed the last one but should be fit for the final. Raphael Varane and Ibrahima Konate both had little scares after falling ill recently, but they’ve recovered too. Lucas Hernandez remains the only squad player to be ruled out of the final after an injury suffered in the opening game.
France Predicted Lineup vs Argentina World Cup Final
Hugo Lloris, Jules Kounde, Raphael Varane, Ibrahima Konate, Theo Hernandez, Aurelien Tchouameni, Adrien Rabiot, Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappe, Olivier Giroud
