By: Gordon D’ Costa
France’s attacking midfielder Antoine Griezmann and head coach Dider Deschamps are happy to progress to the World Cup final. Both have taken stock of the contest ahead and feel that it will be tough and are aware of what to expect in their showdown against Argentina in final of the FIFA World Cup 2022, at the Lusail Iconic Stadium on Sunday.
The Deschamps led French team crashed the dreams of history making Morocco with a 2-0 semi-final win at the Al Bayt Stadium on Wednesday. Theo Hernandez with a spectacular waist-high volley and substitute Randal Kolo Muani scored within 44 seconds after replacing Ousmane Dembélé with his first touch got the goals for Les Bleus and a place in the final.
Morocco, the first team from Africa and the Arab world to reach the World Cup semi-final, showed great character, perseverance and endurance to produced a strong fight, but fell short and lost to a better team.
Both Griezmann and Deschamps are determined to defend the World Cup and will prepare well to create history.
Griezmann feels it would be difficult to beat Argentina who are in form. “We need to improve in a lot of aspects to face a team like Argentina. We’ve seen all the World Cup matches and of course we’ve seen Argentina and we know how they play. They’re a very difficult team who are very much in form. They’ve got Leo [Messi], but also a good group behind him. They’re a group who live well with that. So, it won’t be an easy game, they’ll also have the crowd on their side,” said the experienced Griezmann, who has represented France in 116 international matches.
“But I think that from tomorrow, we’ll talk, we’ll see what we can do and how we can harm them. How we can defend against them and ultimately prepare for the final. So, we’re trying to keep our feet on the ground, stay focused on recovery, and start preparation from tomorrow for the game on Sunday,” the versatile 31-year-old Griezmann, who is known for his attacking style of play, clever passing, and a player who lends support to the defence.
The last meeting between France and Argentina was at the 2018 World Cup in Russia with the former, inspired by a teenage Kylian Mbappe, won a cracking contest 4-3 in the round of 16.
However, Deschamps, who is also be chasing history, is not thinking too much about that win and believes that it has no significance. “Four years ago, it was a different matter. Their iconic player Messi has been outstanding since the very beginning of the competition. I had imagined the position he’d play, and he ultimately played as a centre-forward against us. Now he’s sharing the front line with a centre-forward, having more freedom to dominate the ball, and making the most out of his own skills,” Deschamps pointed out.
In response to a question on Messi, he said, “Obviously, he’s one of the best players of the world. Our anti-Messi plan will consist of limiting his influence on the pitch for Argentina, just as Argentina will do with some of my players. And naturally, today’s Argentina team is not necessarily the same one we played 4 years ago.”
“In the final against Argentina, we’ll witness an encounter between the two best sides. It’s a final, so there should be the same level of quality coming from both sides. The strongest team will win, and it’ll definitely be the team who make fewer mistakes. The team that master’s those two aspects will win the trophy,” opined Deschamps.
Griezmann also mentioned that the Moroccans played very well. “Morocco impressed me. They worked very well tactically, defensively, offensively. After half-time they caused us lots of problems. I think the coach realised that and made a change, playing Marcus [Thuram] down the left. This worked well for us. We needed more help on that side to help Theo [Hernandez] defend, and then scoring so quickly afterwards, we got control and calmed the game down.”
“After the second goal we were in a safe position, but we know that all games are complicated. It doesn’t mean anything, a reaction to a shot and a few other things can be serious in a game,” he stated.
Dider, France set to create history
Meanwhile, Didier Deshamps’ team will now aim to become the first back-to-back World Cup winners since Brazil in 1958 and 1962. The French side is the fifth team to win the FIFA World Cup and reach the final in the following edition. Italy were champions in 1934 and played the final again in 1938, while Brazil, were winners, in both 958 & 1962 and again became champions in 1994 and reached the 1998 final, Argentina winners in 1986 and had also played the final in 1990.
Deschamps would also be the first manager to guide a country to two straight World Cups since Vittorio Pozzo did so for Italy way back in 1934 and 1938.