Miguel Rodrigo accuses the French of knowingly losing their last group match to inherit a more favourable part of the table. The two teams will face each other on Friday in the round of 16.
There is, a priori, no shame in suffering a defeat against the world’s fourth nation in the Fifa rankings, especially when you are in tenth place yourself. The logic was therefore respected on Sunday, September 22, in Bukhara (Uzbekistan), where the Blues were swept aside 4-1 by Iran at the end of an indigestible game at the Futsal World Cup. They finished second in Group F.
Winners of their first two group matches, against Guatemala and Venezuela, the French were already certain to play in the round of 16 before the match. A great achievement for their first appearance in the world tournament. It remained to be seen on which side of the draw they would land.
Their big defeat against Iran puts them on the road to Thailand (9th Fifa nation) in the round of 16, an opponent less posh than Morocco (6th Fifa nation), Iran’s future opponent. The French and Thais will face each other on Friday, September 27, at 2:30 p.m. The least we can say is that the match promises to be hot.
Iran and France “have dishonored my sport”
For Miguel Rodrigo, Thailand’s coach, the match between France and Iran was clearly fixed. On X, Sunday, the Spaniard turned on the Blues, accusing them of deliberately losing the match.
“Whatever happens on the 27th (the day of the eighth-finals, editor’s note), and admitting that we are the weakest team in this story that took place today (Sunday) in Bukhara, I say: ‘France, we are waiting for you with open arms’. Iran and France, coaches and players, have dishonored my sport. You are a global disgrace!”
His publication on social networks is accompanied by a video sequence of the match, where we see the defense and the goalkeeper of the Blues totally apathetic during an Iranian offensive concluded by a goal.
Futsal legend, Brazilian Falcao was also outraged by the image given by this match. “The guys were looking at the clock, wasting time, shooting and pretending to have made a mistake,” he said in a video. His hope: that both teams will be eliminated in the round of 16.
“This table is more open for us”
On the website of the French Football Federation (FFF), Raphaël Raynaud, the coach of the Blues, attempted to defend himself against these accusations.I understand the surprise and frustration.It was up to the Iranians to make the game, they are fourth in the world. […] I accept the choice of a more wait-and-see strategy, and that we are first in the idea of preparing for what comes next,” he replied. The players, too, say they are “aware of not having offered the best of shows,” acknowledged the captain, Kévin Ramirez, to Le Parisien.
In the quarter-finals, Les Bleus could face Paraguay or Afghanistan (13th and 30th in the world rankings). Two opponents within their reach on paper. However, in this part of the table there is Portugal, the reigning world champion and second best nation in the world. On the other side, they would have found scarecrows like Brazil and Spain.
Raphaël Raynaud acknowledges: “This table is more open for us, but the goal was above all to not get cards and get injured.” In the round of 16, the French coach believes that “we will have to be at 100%” to beat Thailand, “an opponent for whom (he) has the greatest respect.”
