Eight years can be quite a while in football. At the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, France endured one of their most despicable ways out from the competition. An open aftermath amongst players and the instructing staff was the prelude to the group getting thumped out in the gathering stage with only one point surprisingly.
The French have turned things around from that point forward. Quarterfinal appearances in the 2012 Euro Championship and the 2014 World Cup, before a raced to the last in the Euro 2016, have solidly settled France as one of the most grounded groups.
This late spring, France are one of the top picks. With Antoine Griezmann driving a ritzy assault and Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kante, Blaise Matuidi, et al constituting one of the world’s most grounded midfields, and mentor Didier Deschamps has choices available to him. The resistance could be an issue with its relative freshness.
France will begin against Australia, who are playing their fourth straight World Cup. The Socceroos’ prospects aren’t splendid this time, in any case. The 38-year-old Tim Cahill is set to have an impact while there is involvement in any semblance of captain and Aston Villa midfielder Mile Jedinak, Brighton overseer Matthew Ryan, midfield team Robbie Kruse and Mark Milligan, and additionally Hertha Berlin forward Mathew Leckie.