The French team, which faces Poland this Tuesday (6 p.m.) to finish first in its group, has never won its third competitive match since Didier Deschamps was coach.
Since Didier Deschamps has been coach, the France team has played six major international competitions and has never won its third group match, but it was often already qualified, as is the case before facing Poland , Tuesday (6 p.m.) in Dortmund. If the Blues of “DD”, in office since 2012, were a hit in their first matches (6 wins out of 6), as at Euro 2024 against Austria (1-0) on June 17, the Their third match was less successful, notably with three 0-0s.
Win to hope to finish first
A Polish journalist had recalled this statistic from the third match to the coach at Clairefontaine, with one eye already on the duel between the two teams and immediately emphasizing that the Blues were generally qualified after two matches. “If we find ourselves in the same situation, that’s fine, I agree with you. I’ll manage it afterwards,” the coach replied with a smile, explaining that he could rest the starters when qualification was assured.
With four points, the Blues already have their ticket for the next round, at worst among the best third-placed teams, before facing the Poles, who are already eliminated. But Deschamps recalled Monday that he was aiming for first place. At the 2014 Brazilian World Cup, the first with Deschamps as coach, France already almost had its ticket to the round of 16 after dominating Honduras (3-0) and Switzerland (5-2) and had ensured a very solid goal difference. With a reshuffled team, the Blues concluded the first round with a 0-0 against Ecuador and retained first place in the group.
At Euro 2016 at home, France already had qualification in its pocket after beating Romania (2-1) and Albania (2-0) before settling for a goalless draw against Switzerland with a largely renewed eleven. Rebelote to the victorious World Cup in 2018, where the Blues completed the group phase with a new 0-0, against Denmark, after two victories against Australia 2-1 then Peru (1-0), in resting frames.
At Euro 2020, played in 2021, qualification was not assured but was well underway, thanks in particular to an entry victory against Germany (1-0) in Munich, and Deschamps’ men had completed the first round with a spectacular 2-2 against Portugal, with doubles from Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo, with the stars on deck.
Finally at the 2022 World Cup, France even secured first place in the group after two successful days against Australia (4-1) and Denmark (2-1). This time she lost the third match against Tunisia (1-0), with an equalizing goal denied to Antoine Griezmann which the Blues sharply contested. They can end this strange series against Poland. Currently second on goal difference, they must do better than the Netherlands, opposed to Austria at the same time, to finish first.
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