France begins crown defense against rocky Australia

France begins crown defense against rocky Australia

The Frenchmen face the first obstacle to retain the title without Karim Benzema, while the 'Socceros' must not abandon their pragmatic plan

MADRID, 21 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The French team begins this Tuesday (8:00 p.m. Spanish peninsular time) against Australia the defense of the world title achieved in the last edition, with the notable absence of striker Karim Benzema, brand new Ballon d'Or, but with a squad that has plenty of talent and potential, and that he will face an oceanic team that will take refuge in his direct and pragmatic style to begin building the champion's curse.

Didier Deschamps' men reach their debut in Qatar with a squad full of stars, perhaps better than the one that was proclaimed world champion four years ago, although with noticeable last-minute casualties. The most notable is that of Karim Benzema due to an injury suffered this Saturday during training, after a month between cotton pads and discomfort at Real Madrid.

Without the forward of the Real Madrid team, the trident that he would form with Kylian Mbappé and Antoine Griezmann is weakened, in an offensive zone in which Christopher Nkunku who arrived in optimal form will not be able to contribute either. The Leipzig attacker left the gala concentration last week due to a strong blow to his left knee that caused an external ligament tear.

However, the French proposal, which cannot count on the injured Kimpembe, Pogba and Kanté either, continues to be consistent and convincing, with many variants and the hunger that is intrinsic to the youth of some of its key players. In a flexible system that can mutate from three center backs to a defense with four men, Deschamps can choose between Upamecano, Varane and Pavard to accompany the fixed theorists Koundé and Lucas Hernández.

In the center of the field, the Madrid player Tchouaméni should put his physique and legs in a machine room with the commitment of Fofana and the talent and pulse of Rabiot. The responsibility for the goal will fall on the athletic Griezmann, the PSG star Mbappé and the substitute for the white '9' Olivier Giroud.

Faced with an inferior rival, France will have a golden opportunity to put an end to the doubts generated in 2022, with only three wins in eight games and a League of Nations in which they bordered on failure at the last minute. The Gauls lost to Denmark in both games (1-2 and 2-0) and also lost to Croatia (0-1), some doubts that make France not arrive too tuned to the tournament.

In addition, he will have to fight two 'curses', the one that persecutes his three predecessors in the tournament's record -Italy, Spain and Germany-, who did not pass their group in their respective title defenses, and with the memory of what happened in 2002 , when he suffered it in first person. The other is to chain two World Cups in a row, something that has not happened since Brazil achieved it in 1962, after winning champion in 1958.

The one in Qatar will be the fifth consecutive World Cup for Australia, after an unsuccessful debut in the tournament in Germany 1974. It is the friendliest rival in Group D, with a pass to the round of 16 in 2006 as the best result in a World Cup event . The 'Socceros' are ranked 38th in the FIFA ranking, which makes them the sixth worst team that will fight to lift the trophy in the Asian country.

Against France, they will begin their goal of winning again in a World Cup after their last victory in 2010 in South Africa against Serbia, and after an experience in 2018 in which they already faced off against the French. In that match, in the group stage, they lost 2-1 with an own goal in the final minutes.

Its greatest strength lies in the solidity of a block without any reference, with physical power and a very compact defensive style to alleviate technical deficiencies. Ajdin Hrustic, from Italian Hellas Verona, and Aaron Mooy, from Scottish Celtic, are the great hopes of a squad that includes the well-known Mathew Ryan, former Real Sociedad and Valencia goalkeeper, and striker Awer Mabil, from Cádiz.

FRANCE: Lloris, Pavard, Koundé, Lucas Hernández, Theo Hernández; Rabiot, Tchouameni, Fofana; Griezmman, Giroud and Mbappé.

AUSTRALIA: Ryan; Atkinson, Wright, Rowles, Aziz Behich; Mooy, Tilio, Hrustic, Irvine, Goodwin; y Leckie.

--REFEREE: Victor Gomes (SUD).

--ESTADIO: Al Janoub Stadium.

--TIME: 8:00 p.m. Spanish peninsular time / World Goal and Movistar.