France National Team World Cup Betting
The defending World Cup champions are the second favorite to win the competition this year behind Brazil. France has arguably the most talented team in the world, and the French are expected to cruise to qualification in a group where Denmark is seen as their only competition. Les Bleus are one of the teams that no one wants to face although the two-time World Cup champions weren’t that impressive at the European Championship last year.
Manager: Didier Deschamps
Nickname: The Blues
Confederation: UEFA (Europe)
FIFA Ranking: 3 (March 2022)
France World Cup Betting Odds
To Win Group D: -250
To Win 2022 World Cup: +610
*Odds as of May 4, 2022
France Group Stage Schedule
France vs. IC Playoff 1, Tuesday, November 22, 2022, 2 p.m. ET, at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah (FOX)
France vs. Denmark, Saturday, November 26, 2022, 11 a.m. ET, at Stadium 974 in Doha (FS1)
Tunisia vs. France, Wednesday, November 30, 2022, 10 a.m. ET, at Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan (FOX)
History at the World Cup
Appearances: 15 (first in 1930)
Best Result: Champions (1998, 2018)
It might be surprising to discover that France wasn’t always a world power in football. The French have failed to qualify for the World Cup six times, and they never made it past the semifinals until they hosted the World Cup in 1998.
Just Fontaine had the most impressive performance of any player at a World Cup in 1958. Fontaine scored 13 goals in just six matches, and he notched four goals in a 6-3 win over West Germany in the third-place playoff. Unfortunately, he was forced to retire in his late 20s after a double fracture of his tibia and fibula kept leading to leg injuries.
France made it to the semifinals of the World Cup in 1982 and 1986, but they fell just before the final in both tournaments. Les Bleus suffered a heartbreaking loss in 1982, losing a 3-1 lead to West Germany in extra time and then losing in penalties. They fell to West Germany again the following tournament, but they bested Belgium in the third-place match.
After failing to qualify for the World Cup in 1990 or 1994, France hosted the competition in 1998. The French were dominant in their wins over South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Denmark in the Group Stage, but they had to squeak past Paraguay and Italy in their first two games in the knockout rounds. France hammered Brazil 3-0 in the final with a brace from the legendary Zinedine Zidane to win its first World Cup. Goalkeeper Fabian Barthez was awarded the Golden Glove for his performance too.
The country suffered embarrassing performances in 2002 and 2010, and Les Bleus fell apart in the 2006 World Cup Final due to Zidane’s emphasis headbutt. However, France was clearly the most dominant team in Russia four years ago. They scored 11 goals in four games in the knockout rounds, as Kylian Mbappe was named the Best Young Player. Antoine Griezmann played great too as France won its second World Cup.
What to Watch
There isn’t a country with a better collection of attacking talent than France. Les Bleus have four world class strikers, led by Kylian Mbappe. The 23-year-old Mbappe has 26 goals in 54 matches, and he might go down as the best French player since Just Fontaine. Antoine Griezmann and Karim Benzema are both proven on the international and club level, and Olivier Giroud can provide a little magic off the bench.
The midfield tandem of Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante is elite too. Pogba is one of the best playmakers in the midfield, while Kante is one of the best defensive midfielders in the world. Thomas Lemar or Adrien Rabiot will likely be the other midfielder for France.
Hugo Lloris captains the team from net, and he is six games away from surpassing Lilian Thuram as the player with the most caps in national history. The back line is extremely talented too with stars like Benjamin Pavard, Presnel Kimpembe, Raphael Verane, Lucas Hernandez, and Clement Lenglet.
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