World Cup: ‘Ruthless’ France will retain the trophy, says Maguire

AL KHOR, Qatar – England defender Harry Maguire has tipped “ruthless” France to win the World Cup – despite the Three Lions being “a lot better than them in a lot of areas” - as match winner Olivier Giroud opined that the “mental side of things” earned Les Bleus a 2-1 quarter-final win on Saturday.

France might have come into the game as slight favourites, but the reigning champions were outplayed for vast stretches of the game, particularly after Aurelien Tchouameni had given Didier Deschamps’ team an early lead with a shot from distance.

Having taken the lead, France slowly lost urgency and impetus, finding it increasingly difficult to handle the brightness of Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden at the Al Bayt Stadium.

With Harry Kane equalising from the spot nine minutes into the second half after Tchouameni had tripped Saka, the wind seemed to be at England’s backs.

France’s vaunted attacking line, spearheaded by Kylian Mbappe, had been peripheral to the game; the reigning champions were being overwhelmed in midfield. Deschamps seemed curiously reluctant to try to wrest back control.

But, almost from nowhere, France went back in front when Giroud headed home with 12 minutes left.

Kane blazed his second penalty of the game over the bar six minutes from time, as England’s wait for a first major international trophy since the 1966 World Cup goes on.

France, meanwhile, remain on course to be the first team to retain the trophy since Brazil in 1962.

Maguire said: “We believed we would win the tournament. They are the world champions and for me, I think they will go on to lift the World Cup.

“But, being totally honest, we were a lot better than them in a lot of areas.

“They are the World Cup champions for a reason. They are clinical, ruthless, they’ve got experience.”

Giroud told French broadcaster TF1: “We worked super well defensively once we took the lead, it reminded me of (the World Cup semi-final win over) Belgium in 2018.

“Towards the end of the match, we get a few chances. I knew that we were going to have another... We knew the potential of this young English generation. It was the mental side of things where we got the win.”

France coach Deschamps made only one late substitution but the champions have been carried over the line by an unshakable collective strength.

That strength was also highlighted by Tchouameni, who told beIN Sports: “We feel little by little that there is a real group forming here… We suffered, but this is the World Cup.

“We played a very, very good English side that caused us problems. We were able to hang tough, score towards the end and progress.”

His coach, however, conceded that the French got “lucky”.

Said Deschamps: “We have a lot of qualities, but also some great mental strength, and experience. I have also young players but there is a collective force that drives the whole group...

“In important games like tonight’s, that’s what makes the difference.

“We got a bit lucky although we gave away two penalties but we kept our lead with our hearts and our guts.

“I’ve watched all the quarter-finals – no team that has qualified for the semi-finals was in control of their match for all, or maybe even the majority of the time.”

According to former Ireland and Manchester United captain Roy Keane, France did not need to control the game because they have the quality of champions to take over at key moments.

He said on ITV: “They weren’t at their best, but they found a way to win it. That’s where you have to give the French credit; we’re at the game, we feel it.

“The game was there for the taking. France took it and that’s why they’re the champions.”

There had been an expectation that Deschamps could call time on his stint after Qatar 2022, with fellow Les Bleus legend Zinedine Zidane waiting in the wings, but Le Parisien reported that he will stay on for another two years.
AFP, REUTERS, NYTIMES