AL KHOR, Qatar – England defender Harry Maguire tipped “ruthless” France to win the World Cup – despite 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.

England were the better side for long stretches at the Al Bayt Stadium. But, almost from nowhere, France went back in front when Giroud headed home with 12 minutes left.

Said Maguire: “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.”

England skipper Harry 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.

Aurelien Tchouameni had swept France into a first-half lead – only for Kane to equalise from the spot nine minutes into the second half.

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

“Unfortunately, we concede a penalty. Towards the end of the match, we get a few chances. I knew that we were going to have another, ‘Grizi’ gives me a fantastic ball... We knew the potential of this young English generation. It was the mental side of things where we got the win.”

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

That collective strength was also highlighted by Les Bleus’ other scorer. Tchouameni 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. I would’ve preferred if we hadn’t given England some gifts, but they were at a really high level.”

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.

They said that having met the pre-tournament semi-final target, Deschamps’ future will be in his own hands. The French Football Federation’s embattled president Noel Le Graet has indicated his preference for the coach to extend his 10-year stint.

Having captained France to their maiden World Cup in 1998, Deschamps is one of just three men to lift the World Cup as a player and a coach. The others are Brazil’s Mario Zagallo and Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer.

Should his side win the trophy on Dec 18, he would become only the second coach to retain football’s biggest prize after former Italy coach Vittorio Pozzo in 1934 and 1938. AFP, REUTERS