Sports is a subject matter that unites every person in the world. It knows no boundaries and can lead to enthralling moments with rollercoasters and adrenaline rush. From cricket to tennis, different countries are significantly gelled by sports.
Whether it is the American Serena Williams or the Indian Sachin Tendulkar, people have smiled and cried together across the globe. With many sports igniting strong emotions in people all over the world, one of the most significant sports in this matter is football or soccer.
Waiting for the World Cup (FIFA) after every four years, people gather great enthusiasm and their prediction hats to choose their favorites. Platforms like AtlantisFC.fi also play a vital role in creating massive hype around the sport and the World-stage event.
From Brazil to Spain, there are many teams who are in contention for winning this year’s World Cup. Since anything can happen in football, football lovers are waiting for unexpected upsets during the season.
Be it, Christiano Ronaldo of Portugal or Lionel Messi of Argentina, the talks around the possible winners are making it to the headlines. However, there lies a great probability for the defending champions, France, to retain the World Cup champions’ title. The following section gives a holistic view of the French winning the World Cup 2024; with various odds in and against their favor.
Group Stage At The FIFA
Source: facebook.com
The first thing that comes into mind before adjudging the probability of France defending the title is the matches they are playing. It includes the teams which are placed alongside the French with whom they will be playing their group matches.
As per the grouping, the French are placed in Group D. The group consists of strong teams, including Australia, Denmark, and Tunisia. An exciting point for France is that in 2018 when they lifted the World Cup, they were placed alongside Australia and Denmark in the group stages. Therefore, it is a delight for them to compete against them this year.
However, both teams have strengthened their team and chances this year. The Australian side qualified for this year’s FIFA by gaining a win over Peru. The thrilling match went down to the penalty shoot-outs with the star Australian goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne stopping the final kick of the counterparts.
On the other hand, Denmark has also enhanced their chances of giving a tough fight to top nations. This can be seen when they made a great entry to the semi-finals in the UEFA Euro Cup 2020. In the semi-finals, England got a hold over the Danish side, which ended their hopes of lifting the Cup.
Apart from these three teams, the group comprises a budding Tunisian team. However, most soccer enthusiasts won’t agree on the vulnerability of Tunisia, but the team has rock-solid players like Wahbi Khazri and Ferjani Sassi who will carry a decent experience to kickstart the campaign. Looking into the group stage, France has a high chance of advancing to the next round.
France’s Poor Form At UEFA Nations League
Source: uefa.com
There is a twist in the story when it comes to the current French team’s form. While their counterparts in the same group (Denmark) advanced to the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup, France had a forgettable run at the tournament.
They encountered several problems that led them to only one win in six matches. They lost three matches with two matches ending in a draw. In the five matches, they did not win, they scored mere three goals.
Moreover, they lost to Denmark, which can give them a point of worry in the World Cup. Their star player Kylian Mbappe was also not so impressive with only 28 touches in the first half of the game against Danish.
To conclude their miserable form in the tournament, they had poor coordination between the midfielders and the strikers. With injuries to defenders, the problem only worsened. With such issues, France will have to look out for Denmark as well as Australia. Although they have a high chance of advancing, it will not be a cakewalk for them with Denmark making it to the headlines.
Injury Concerns – Dent On France’s Chances?
Source: chelseafc.com
In the UEFA Euro Cup, the main reason for the team’s poor performance was regular injuries to key players. Going to the World Cup, the prime injury focus is Benzema’s quad injury. There are high chances that he will be fit till the World Cup starts. But, there are questions about the attack if he is not available.
Giroud is a decent replacement, but there will be a void created if Benzema does not star in the World Cup lineup. Adding to this issue, Kingsley Coman is also dealing with a hamstring injury. This problem further weakens the French attack.
Apart from these concerns, the Chelsea midfielder Kante has also shown signs of unavailability this year. Paul Pogba is no exception to this series with a dangerous knee injury. The list does not end here. The other key players like Adrien Rabiot, Boubacar Kamara, Presnel Kimpembe, Theo Hernandez, Lucas Hernandez, Ibrahima Konate, and Jules Kounde, are also not in great touch due to injury concerns.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OO-M_fPB9s
Final Say: Talent & Skills To Raise Winning Chances
While there are several odds against the French team in the form of injuries and recent form, France is the favorite for the World Cup in most soccer lovers’ books. The talent and skills showcased by the players, including Benzema, Mbappe, and many others at different levels are unmatchable.
The team’s chances are also strengthened by the fact that their ace attacker Karim Benzema won the prestigious Ballon d’Or this year. With other favorites lined up like Spain, Brazil, England, and Argentina, France surely has a great advantage with a positive mindset in their campaign. People can use these predictions for betting to get gains alongside enjoying the World Cup matches.
