The defending World Cup champions have the second-lowest odds to win the 2022 World Cup. France is the second favorite to win in Qatar behind Brazil, as Les Bleus have jumped England over the last few months. The French should have little trouble getting out of their group, and they figure to have a favorable matchup in the Round of 16. However, the last two times the French played in the World Cup Finals, they crashed out in the Group Stage at the following World Cup without a single win.
France Odds at the 2022 World Cup
France Odds to Win the 2022 World Cup +625
France Odds to Win Group D -285
France Odds to Qualify for the Round of 16 -1300
There were a ton of draws in France’s World Cup Qualifying group. Les Bleus were responsible for five of the 11 wins in this group, and Ukraine was the second-place team with six draws in eight matches. Nine of the 20 matches in this group ended in draws as teams largely played low-scoring games except for France’s 8-0 shellacking of Kazakhstan in Paris last November. Kylian Mbappe had a hat trick after 32 minutes, and Karim Benzema notched two goals after halftime.
Recent Form
Les Bleus are 2-2-2 in their six matches so far this year. France was able to beat two African teams in friendlies, but the French needed an extra time goal to earn a 2-1 win over Ivory Coast. They were much better in a 5-0 thumping of South Africa, yet Nations League play has not been kind to France.
The French have scored just three goals in four matches, losing at home to Denmark and Croatia and drawing on the road with Austria and Croatia. While France didn’t have its full starting lineup, the French did have a lot of their top players, and most of their offensive weapons for those matches.
Roster
The three players that will be at the top of the formation are three of the best forwards in the world. Karim Benzema has been the talisman for Real Madrid for over a decade, and he has been solid for France too with 37 goals in 97 appearances. Antoine Griezmann won the Golden Boot and Golden Ball at the 2016 European Championships and the Bronze Ball at the 2018 World Cup, and Kylian Mbappe is one of the favorites to win both the Golden Boot and Golden Ball in Qatar. Mbappe has incredible speed and pace, and he showed the problems he can present a defense against Argentina in the Round of 16 four years ago.
Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante are the players to watch in the midfield. Pogba has been instrumental to France’s success with his ability to create chances for his team, while Kante is still one of the top defensive midfielders in the world. However, Kante seems to have lost a step, so that’s something to keep an eye on in Qatar. Adrien Rabiot and Christopher Nkunku have been seeing more action, and those two players may play a bigger role than expected.
The back line is one of the best in the world with Benjamin Pavard, Presnel Kimpembe, Raphael Varane, Lucas Digne, and Lucas Hernandez all in their prime. Clement Lenglet has fallen out of favor and might not be selected for the final squad, but there is still a plethora of talent in defense.
Captain Hugo Lloris is still the first-choice goalkeeper for France although he will turn 36 in December. Lloris has 139 caps for the national team, and he brings a wealth of experience to Les Bleus this winter.
Prediction
France should not have a problem getting out of this group. Australia is arguably the weakest team at the World Cup, and the only challenge the French should face is from Denmark. There have been issues with the offense, but France didn’t have Pogba in its most recent matches, and he has always stepped up his play when putting on the national colors. The French are a real threat to win the World Cup, yet history is not on their side. Only two teams have won the World Cup in consecutive competitions: Italy (1934 and 1938) and Brazil (1958 and 1962).
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