France (National Football)

France striker Olivier Giroud may be a doubt for the start of the 2018 World Cup after leaving Saturday's 1-1 draw with the United States because of a head injury.

Ousmane Dembele replaced Giroud in the 58th minute. The Chelsea star inadvertently clashed heads with U.S. defender Matt Miazga, which left both players bloodied (warning: contains graphic images):

BREAKING: Olivier Giroud covered in blood and forced off after horror clash of heads https://t.co/oS3CcvgkiU pic.twitter.com/EsntlWo5wG

— The Sun Football ⚽ (@TheSunFootball) June 9, 2018

Medical staff placed a wrap round Giroud's head before he walked off the pitch under his own power.

France opens the 2018 World Cup against Australia on June 16, which could leave Giroud in a proverbial race against the clock to get cleared in time to play.

Losing Giroud, even if just for the opening match, would be a big blow for France, as he's the only natural striker coach Didier Deschamps will take to Russia. The absence of a prototypical No. 9 could leave Les Bleus in trouble when facing off with Australia, which will likely play a more direct, defensive style.

In terms of the bigger picture, Giroud's presence makes it much easier for Deschamps to set France up in a 4-3-3, which is arguably the best formation to maximize the skill and creativity of Paul Pogba, Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe. Take Giroud out of the equation, and it becomes much harder to accommodate the embarrassment of riches in the French squad.

A poll conducted by France Football magazine has found that the majority of France fans believe Paul Pogba shouldn't start for the country at this summer's FIFA World Cup amid speculation he could lose his place in the side. 

Adam Crafton of the Daily Mail has reported that manager Didier Deschamps may leave the 25-year-old out of the XI after some disappointing performances. He wrote on the findings of France Football, 73 per cent of around 7,000 surveyed don't think Pogba should be in the XI.

Crafton added that after France's 3-1 win over Italy, Pogba was rated at 4/10 by L'Equipe and 3.5/10 by Le Parisien.

"Deschamps insisted Pogba retains his confidence, but he also made a point of highlighting his 'many options' in midfield," added Crafton. "Pogba had been dropped by Deschamps for the friendly defeat by Colombia in March, while Jose Mourinho left the midfielder out of several key Manchester United fixtures in the spring."

Pogba's inconsistent form for the national side comes at the end of a campaign in which his form was up and down for Manchester United.

While there are occasions when the former Juventus man is a force to be reckoned with in the middle of the park, he can leave fans frustrated. 

France fans were evidently annoyed with Pogba on Friday, as he was jeered when substituted late on against Italy. However, his team-mate Kylian Mbappe doesn't believe that's a big deal, per Goal UK:

Mbappe saddened by France fans as Pogba is booed. pic.twitter.com/L1hO7faBy6

— GOAL News (@GoalNews) June 2, 2018

With N'Golo Kante and Blaise Matuidi almost certain to start for Les Bleus at the World Cup this summer, Deschamps has a big decision to make on whether to line up Pogba alongside them in midfield.

Bayern Munich's Corentin Tolisso has performed well when given an opportunity as of late, and Steven N'Zonzi is another option. Lyon No. 10 Nabil Fekir could also be utilised.

Even so, in the right type of setup Pogba is still capable of being a game-changer for the France side. As these figures from OptaJean show, the United man can open up a match with one of his surges forward:

151 - Paul Pogba is the player who attempted (151) & completed the most dribbles (104) with France under Didier Deschamps. Exciting. pic.twitter.com/YVOV7dNqiD

— OptaJean (@OptaJean) June 3, 2018

Pogba will surely get a chance to show what he can do in the group stages, where France take on Australia, Peru and Denmark.

In all of those matches France are likely to dominate possession and be up against a deep-sitting opponent. It's in fixtures like those when Deschamps will be looking to Pogba to unpick defences and dictate the tempo of the game.

However, if Pogba does continue to struggle in those encounters the France manager has the ability to mix things up thanks to their incredible squad depth. With that in mind Pogba shouldn't be taking anything for granted ahead of the big kick-off in Russia.

France manager Didier Deschamps has defended Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba after he was jeered by some sections of the home support during Friday's meeting with Italy in Nice.

Les Bleus enjoyed a 3-1 win as they stepped up their preparations for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Russia. However, some fans were clearly dissatisfied with Pogba's performance, and he was whistled by parts of the Allianz Riviera crowd as he was withdrawn in the 86th minute.

Deschamps tried to play down the incident, telling TF1 the stick was for the whole team and not just the midfielder (h/t Sky Sports).

"It's not just for him," the coach said. "At one point, we kept the ball and they whistled too. The public also prefers to score five, six goals, but it's high level. There is a team in front of us. The players do the right thing."

Pogba's team-mate Antoine Griezmann backed the United man to shake off the whistles, suggesting this type of thing is "part of football." He added: "He has had a difficult season at Manchester United, but he has a lot of confidence in himself."

Corentin Tolisso also had his say on the matter, per Goal UK:

Paul Pogba was booed by his own supporters as Les Bleus beat Italy, exasperating Corentin Tolisso pic.twitter.com/1TZnsa9DjP

— GOAL News (@GoalNews) June 2, 2018

As Adam Crafton of the Daily Mail noted, all the building blocks seemed to be in place for Pogba to play well on the night, but he underwhelmed:

In Nice for France v Italy. Pogba has Kante and Tolisso next to him in midfield to do his donkey work/professionalism so frankly if he can't be great in this set-up, I surrender hope.

— Adam Crafton (@AdamCrafton_) June 1, 2018

It was a season of ups and downs for Pogba at United, as he struggled to find a defined role in Jose Mourinho's team.

The former Juventus man is clearly at his best as part of a three-man midfield, when there is support for him in the middle. However, when a side is built around a player, there's pressure on him to perform, and that's not something Pogba has always done.

There will be a lot of expectation on him heading into the summer too, as France are among the favourites to win the World Cup.

Pogba has been a key man in the buildup to the tournament and is set to start when Les Bleus meet Australia in their competition opener on June 16.

However, journalist Philippe Auclair suggested they may benefit from another presence at the hub of the side:

Yes, the whistling is too much. Still think he'll start in Russia, but Tolisso has really strengthened his case.

— Tom Williams (@tomwfootball) June 1, 2018

France are blessed with options in midfield, with Blaise Matuidi a high-class player left out of the XI for the game against Italy.

Even so, Pogba has the temperament and talent to light up the World Cup. Should he enjoy a strong start to the tournament against Australia and confidence begins to flow, then we may see an altogether different player in Russia.

France continue their FIFA 2018 World Cup preparations with an international friendly against Italy on Friday at the Allianz Riviera in Nice.

The game is Les Bleus' penultimate friendly before they open their campaign in Russia against Australia on June 16.

France beat Republic of Ireland 2-0 in Paris on Monday in their first friendly and will also play the United States in Lyon before they fly out to Russia.

             

Date: Friday, June 1

Time: 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET

TV Info: ESPN 3 (U.S.)

Live Stream: ESPN Deportes (U.S.)

             

Deschamps spoilt for choice with France

France coach Didier Deschamps saw his team beat Ireland 2-0 despite starting the match with big names such as Hugo Lloris, N'Golo Kante, Ousmane Dembele, Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann on the bench.

Goals from Olivier Giroud and Nabil Fekir did the damage for Les Bleus, while Kylian Mbappe continued his fine form for the national team, as shown by Opta:

4 - Kylian Mbappé has been involved in at least one goal in each of his last four games with Les Bleus (2 goals, 3 assists). 10. pic.twitter.com/cI8qY4mubg

— OptaJean (@OptaJean) May 28, 2018

The game highlighted the wide variety of options available to Deschamps, and he is likely to mix his team up again on Friday as he searches for his strongest combination.

Football writer Tom Williams said Monday's match might be a glimpse into the future:

Griezmann playing in Fekir role behind/off Giroud. Might Deschamps have happened upon a system that allows him to play Griezmann, Giroud and Mbappe *and* use Pogba in a three-man midfield?

— Tom Williams (@tomwfootball) May 28, 2018

The talent available to Deschamps means the team will go into the tournament as one of the favourites to lift the World Cup.

However, it's up to Deschamps to find the best starting lineup from the players available, and Friday's friendly will be important as players stake their claim for a place in his team.

            

Home comforts can help Balotelli shine

Italy striker Mario Balotelli marked his return to the national team with a brilliant individual goal in a 2-1 friendly win over Saudi Arabia on Monday.

Squawka Football highlighted how long it had been between goals for Italy:

Mario Balotelli has scored his first goal for Italy since netting the winner against England at the 2014 World Cup.

It took him 21 minutes after four years without a start. 😏 pic.twitter.com/1fWQTOpZMQ

— Squawka (@Squawka) May 28, 2018

The strike ensured it was a winning start for new Italy manager Roberto Mancini, and he'll be hoping to keep that run going on a ground where Balotelli has played his club football since 2016.

Balotelli has enjoyed a fine season with the French side, scoring 26 goals in all competitions.

Goal showed him in action:

Mario Balotelli has been back to his very best in Ligue 1 this season! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/YiMTXtn0sC

— GOAL (@goal) May 30, 2018

His form has led to speculation he will leave Nice this summer, and he is wanted by several top clubs including Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund and Marseille, according to Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Football Italia).

Balotelli is said to prefer a return to Serie A, and another good performance for the Azzurri would help his cause.

France's preparations for the 2018 FIFA World Cup were boosted on Monday after they defeated the Republic of Ireland 2-0 at the Stade de France.

Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud opened scoring in the friendly with his 31st international goal, tying him for fourth alongside Zinedine Zidane among Les Bleus' top scorers, before Nabil Fekir doubled their lead on 44 minutes.

Didier Deschamps' side have a three-day turnaround before they face Roberto Mancini's Italy team in their next friendly on Friday, progressing nicely ahead of their World Cup opener against Australia on June 16.

        

Giroud Pinning Down Les Bleus Legacy

Struggles in nailing down a starting place for much of his Arsenal stay hasn't prevented Giroud from rallying to a revival in 2018, as he tied level with Zinedine Zidane on 31 goals for France on Monday.

Only three players have collected more international goals for Les Bleus than the restored finisher, who could make an argument to be Deschamps' starting frontman in Russia next month:

Olivier Giroud joins some elite French company 🇫🇷💯 pic.twitter.com/q05PYrAQfh

— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 28, 2018

Bradford City goalkeeper Colin Doyle had several attempts at keeping Giroud's assault at bay but finally saw his lines broken at the third try, although Zito found some issue with his reaction to scoring:

My favorite thing about Giroud is that he automatically looks for the camera after scoring a goal. Won't even acknowledge a teammate until he's celebrated in front of the camera.

— Zito (@_Zeets) May 28, 2018

After netting three times in his last six Premier League appearances for Chelsea, whom he joined in January, Giroud is restoring Deschamps' faith in keeping him in the national team despite wavering form at club level.

Karim Benzema's omission from Deschamps' plans, as well as the omission of Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette, have helped Giroud's bid, and he's already battling a heady field of French competition in attack, per presenter Matt Spiro:

Good luck to Deschamps today who has to chose 7 forwards from: Giroud, Griezmann, Dembele, Mbappe, Payet, Fekir, Lacazette, Coman, Ben Yedder, Martial, Thauvin, Gameiro (with Lemar likely to be in MF category)

— Matt Spiro (@mattspiro) May 17, 2018

However, Spiro did also argue his legacy can't compare with that of Zidane, perhaps no matter how many goal he scores without the accolades to back it up:

With 31 France goals Giroud is level with Zidane. He now needs to inspire one World Cup win, one Euros, three league titles and one Champions League - before overseeing 3 more as manager - to keep up with the bald fella

— Matt Spiro (@mattspiro) May 28, 2018

Atletico Madrid star Griezmann, who came on after 64 minutes, will be guaranteed to enter France's XI in Russia, although Giroud's finishing is asking questions of who might stay to accommodate him taking a spot.

        

France's Forwards Should Terrify World Cup Defences

It was already well-known that France's attack is capable of striking fear into almost any opponent at this World Cup, but Monday served as another reminder of the depth in quality they possess up front.

Fekir picked up his international summer where his club campaign left off, scoring to give France a cushion against their Irish guests, although the Daily Mail's Craig Hope noted Doyle's error had a big hand in gifting it:

Ireland goalkeeper Colin Doyle with a show of support for Loris Karius, punching the ball into his own net from a half decent (but no more) Nabil Fekir shot. 2-0 France.

— Craig Hope (@CraigHope_DM) May 28, 2018

Granted, France will encounter tougher opposition that Martin O'Neill's men in Russia, but the ability to call upon replacements like Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele, Paul Pogba, while leaving Thomas Lemar and Florian Thauvin benched, is frightening.

JOE.ie highlighted the gulf in pedigree between the two sides, with the Republic of Ireland squad comprising two League of Ireland players:

Graham Burke now on the pitch against the likes of Griezmann, Mbappe, Matuidi, Giroud etc.
Fantastic to see.

— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) May 28, 2018

Paris Saint-Germain ace Kylian Mbappe also impressed, as did Corentin Tolisso in midfield, but one concern for France may be their lack of experience in those forward areas.

In that sense, Benzema might have provided a bit of seasoned wit in the penalty area, but the promising lineup that made it to the final of Euro 2016 will look to prove they're better prepared coming to Russia.

       

What's Next?

France face Italy in their next friendly outing on Friday, while the Republic of Ireland return to Dublin, where they'll play the United States on Saturday.

Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann were among the 23 players named by France manager Didier Deschamps in his provisional squad for the 2018 World Cup, but there was no place for Pogba's Manchester United team-mate Anthony Martial.

Les Bleus announced the squad on Thursday:

OUT: Anthony Martial, Adrien Rabiot, Alexandre Lacazette
IN: Nabil Fekir, Florian Thauvin, Steven N’Zonzi

France name their 23-man squad for Russia! 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/XArHLmH1jy

— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 17, 2018

Martial will have to settle for a place in Deschamps' reserve list, along with Arsenal's Alexandre Lacazette and Bayern Munich star Kingsley Coman.

France's official Twitter account shared the full list of reserves:

Suppléants :
- W. Ben Yedder
- K. Coman
- B. Costil
- M. Debuchy
- L. Digne
- A. Lacazette
- A. Martial
- A. Rabiot
- M. Sakho
- M. Sissoko
- K. Zouma

— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) May 17, 2018

For any who haven't paid close attention to Ligue 1 this season, Florian Thauvin's inclusion ahead of Martial could raise some eyebrows, but the Marseille man has racked up 26 goals and 18 assists in all competitions this season to the United star's 11 and nine.

Thomas Lemar—who has scored just three times for Monaco this year—is more of a surprise after his drop-off in form.

For Martial, his lack of regular game time has proved costly, having made just six appearances for the Red Devils since February.

ESPN's Rob Dawson and football writer Ryan Baldi believe the omission could put his United future in jeopardy:

Anthony Martial not in the France squad for the World Cup. You can understand why he might want more regular first-team football.

— Rob Dawson (@RobDawsonESPN) May 17, 2018

Martial not in the France squad. Nail in the coffin for his time at United?

— Ryan Baldi (@RyanBaldi_) May 17, 2018

Lacazette can count himself unfortunate after he scored 17 goals for Arsenal, including eight in his last 10 games. But with the strength of competition for places in forward areas, it is not too surprising he missed out.

So too did Dimitri Payet, perhaps as a result of his limping out of Wednesday's UEFA Europa League final.

ESPN FC's Jonathan Johnson was not surprised by Adrien Rabiot's omission:

I understand there will be a lot of surprise re: Rabiot being left out by Didier Deschamps. However, if you have really watched PSG post-Madrid, this will not be such a shock. He has dropped off massively & I have been suggesting that this could happen for weeks. #EDF #LesBleus

— Jonathan Johnson (@Jon_LeGossip) May 17, 2018

Alphonse Areola and Steve Mandanda will provide back-up for Hugo Lloris in goal, while Benjamin Mendy—who has made just three substitute appearances for Manchester City since September—was included among the defenders, who also included Raphael Varane, Samuel Umtiti and Presnel Kimpembe.

In midfield, N'Golo Kante, Corentin Tolisso, Blaise Matuidi and Steven N'Zonzi will vie for a place in the side alongside Pogba.

Piara Powar, head of Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE), called on FIFA to investigate racial abuse directed at France stars Paul Pogba and Ousmane Dembele during their 3-1 win over World Cup hosts Russia on Tuesday.

According to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN's Ian Holyman) Powar spoke on Wednesday after a photographer for Agence France-Presse confirmed Dembele and Pogba were targeted with monkey chants, the former during two corners and the latter in the 73rd minute:

"There should be enough there for FIFA to initiate proceedings. If photographers heard it pitchside, then there must have been stewards and other officials who also heard it.

"If, toward the end of March, these guys don't know what to do, and they're not initiating procedures and protocols that exist, then that doesn't bode very well for the World Cup.

"So close to the World Cup, questions are being asked as to why it wasn't dealt with as it occurred during play."

In the 2016-17 campaign, FARE recorded 89 racist and right-wing extremist-linked incidents in the Russian Premier League, and this season there have been two prior cases of racism at the St Petersburg Stadium where Tuesday's friendly was held. The ground will also host one of the semi-finals of this year's World Cup.

Zenit St Petersburg fans displayed a banner in support of war criminal Ratko Mladic during their clash with Macedonian outfit FK Vardar in the UEFA Europa League in November. Fans also allegedly racially abused an injured player in their match against RB Leipzig earlier in March, with UEFA set to hear the case on May 31.

Sky Sports' Kaveh Solhekol noted the prevalence of racist incidents in Russia:

Gareth Southgate says England must get our own house in order on racism before pointing at Russia. But racism much bigger problem in Russian football. 200 incidents in two years, according to FARE. Hulk said he was even racially abused by a Russian referee

— Kaveh Solhekol (@SkyKaveh) March 23, 2018

France's Minister for Sport, Laura Flessel, called for action to be taken on Twitter:

« Le racisme n’a pas sa place sur les terrains de football. Nous devons agir de concert au niveau européen et international afin de faire cesser ces comportements inadmissibles » #FRARUS #exaequo.
Crédits FFF/ Bastien Lheritier. pic.twitter.com/kRB1fbBNjO

— Laura Flessel (@FlesselLaura) March 28, 2018

According to Holyman, she wrote: "Racism has no place on football pitches. We have to act in unison at a European and international level in order to stop this inadmissible behaviour."

Spartak Moscow have also been sanctioned this season because of racial abuse directed by supporters at Liverpool's Bobby Adekanye in the UEFA Youth League, and the club also found themselves in hot water with FARE after tweeting a video that made racially insulted their own players.

Spartak under-19 defender Leonid Mironov was also charged by UEFA after allegedly abusing Liverpool striker Rhian Brewster in the second match between the sides, but the investigation was dropped by Europe's governing body after they failed to find conclusive evidence in the matter.

This latest problem yet again calls into question the suitability of Russia as hosts for football's biggest tournament, just months before it is set to begin.

Former France striker Christophe Dugarry has lambasted international stars Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann for what he considers to be an unprofessional approach in the buildup to the 2018 FIFA World Cup. 

Pogba Mondial aired via Canal+ on Sunday, the first in a series of programmes following the Manchester United midfielder as he moves towards the World Cup.

However, Dugarry was critical of the pair for appearing on the show, per RMC (h/t Omnisport, via AOL.com):

"They are not serious. Pogba and Griezmann are leaders. They are considered big players, and they are held up as an example. And yet, when you lose, you sign a contract with Canal to sell these stupidities.

"You are not starting for Manchester United, you just lost a game with the France national team. You send out this program that doesn't make sense. You have just lost. That tells us that you're not concentrating.

"Things aren't going well for you and you make us your 'Pogseries.' What kind of madness is that? You just lost 2-3 against the Colombians and you were missing for an hour."

Les Bleus led Colombia 2-0 at the Stade de France on Friday evening before they surrendered their cushion to lose 3-2 in Paris.

Pogba's mini interview with team-mate and friend Griezmann aired two days after the friendly defeat to the South American side, and the struggling United man posted a snippet of their encounter on Twitter:

Grizou and I interview each other tonight on Pogba Mondial @antogriezmann @canalplus #pogbamondial pic.twitter.com/GtAlkpLUU0

— Paul Pogba (@paulpogba) March 25, 2018

Dugarry, who scored nine goals in 55 appearances for France, would prefer to see the likes of Pogba and Griezmann concentrate less on things like social media activity and hairstyles, and more on the football at hand.

Pogba came off the bench to play the last 30 minutes against Colombia—by which point the South Americans were already level at 2-2—while Griezmann came off two minutes prior to the visitors' 85th-minute winner.

According to Dugarry, distractions such as Pogba Mondial are unwelcome, particularly when playing out of form and with "a country that wants to do well." He added:

"You are Pogba, you are Griezmann, third in the last Ballon d'Or. You are an important person on this team. The others are proud to play with these players, but Pogba and Griezmann don't know it.

"At any one time, they are a rapper, then producers, then dancers, then footballers, then basketball players. Griezmann has said he would prefer to play basketball. We are three months from the World Cup: focus yourself. It's up to you show us the way."

Both Griezmann and Pogba are active on social media, but it's worth noting France were unbeaten in seven matches—including a 2-2 draw against world champions Germany—prior to Friday's loss. Les Bleus are also expected to be serious title contenders in Russia this summer.

It's been almost two years since United paid a club record £89 million to re-sign Pogba from Juventus, and while injuries have limited his influence, his tally of three goals thus far is the lowest he's recorded since 2012-13, his first season in Italy.

His situation at Old Trafford has become so desperate that ESPN FC pundits recently discussed a potential exit from United, having struggled to fit in under manager Jose Mourinho:

Paul Pogba and Jose Mourinho are not on speaking terms, according to reports. pic.twitter.com/v5V5CGeiyB

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) March 27, 2018

Griezmann, on the other hand, has been doing well with Atletico Madrid and has recovered from a slow start to the term to score 17 La Liga goals, one more than he managed last season and six shy of a new career best.

The face of football has changed a lot since Dugarry hung up his boots in 2005, having earned his last international cap three years before that, but in a time of need, his advice to France's stars may hold true.

Paul Pogba is reportedly set to start France's friendly clash with Colombia at the Stade de France in Paris on Friday on the bench. 

According to L'Equipe (via Liam Prenderville in the Mirror), based on Thursday's training session, Les Blues coach Didier Deschamps is set to line up in a 4-4-2 formation with N'Golo Kante and Blaise Matuidi paired in central midfield without Pogba, who has trained the last two days despite "struggling with a niggle."

The report further indicated Thomas Lemar and Kylian Mbappe are likely to start on the flanks with Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud paired in attack.

Pogba, 25, has recently been enduring a spell of poor form with Manchester United that has seen him benched by manager Jose Mourinho for their last two clashes against Brighton & Hove Albion and Sevilla.

He missed United's previous game against Liverpool due to a thigh injury, but reports have suggested Mourinho has not just been being cautious with the £89 million midfielder and the pair have fallen out, per Prenderville.

There have even been claims the former Juventus man could leave Old Trafford in the summer, per La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness):

Gazzetta wade in on Pogba: 50% chance Man United star leaves in summer, ‘it’s him or the manager’, we take a look… https://t.co/W01q2r2r0K #mufc pic.twitter.com/H1ZQAct2le

— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) March 22, 2018

Pogba was likely hoping the break from club football would give him a chance to forget his woes at United.

But if he is on the bench against Colombia, even if it is due to a fitness concern, there will likely be questions about his starting spot for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

In Matuidi and Kante, Deschamps has two excellent central midfielders who can be alternatives to Pogba.

The French squad is packed with depth throughout:

Voici la 1ère liste de l'année !
RDV lundi à Clairefontaine pour préparer les matchs contre la Colombie et la Russie !👊 #FiersdetreBleus

Il reste 1000 places pour France🆚Russie (23/03 au Stade de France)🇫🇷
➡ https://t.co/nOyXeahHgN pic.twitter.com/WMuxl4XRb7

— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) March 15, 2018

It is little surprise Les Bleus are one of the favourites to go all the way in Russia, while many will likely back their opponents, Colombia, to go deep in the tournament as well. 

One day soon, it will be their turn again.

No French player has won the Ballon d'Or since Zinedine Zidane in 1998, when he was still at Juventus, and only three have made it on to the podium since 2006. Thierry Henry did so, in the same year he was edged out by Fabio Cannavaro and Gianluigi Buffon in the World Cup final and later for the individual honour.

Franck Ribery and Antoine Griezmann followed Henry in finishing third in the poll, in 2013 and 2016, respectively. It had felt as if Ribery was close, with Bayern Munich having become the first German club to win the Bundesliga/DFB-Pokal/Champions League treble that year.

That all changed in the third week of November 2013, with Cristiano Ronaldo effectively wresting the trophy from his competitors with his stunning hat-trick in the World Cup qualifying play-off second leg in Sweden. On the same day, in a curious twist of fate, the voting period for the Ballon d'Or was extended by FIFA, per the Mirror, apparently due to low turnout. Ronaldo couldn't have timed his run any worse in terms of Ribery's prospects.

The other aspect that complicated Ribery's candidature was the context he flourished in. Jupp Heynckes' Bayern had been a formidable team in the true sense of the word, and that had a two-pronged effect; partially overshadowing the extent of Ribery's contribution and splitting the vote. Four other Bayern players finished in the Ballon d'Or top 20 in 2013.

Particularly in the modern context of the award being about individual brilliance, heavily conditioned by the genius of Lionel Messi and Ronaldo, Ribery probably did well to get as far as he did.

Times could be changing now, though. The biggest concern for Didier Deschamps and France ahead of the 2018 World Cup is not about the talent available, but where on earth to put it all.

In a way, last June's late defeat in Sweden—when Hugo Lloris' skewed clearance gifted a stoppage-time winner to Ola Toivonen—did the national team a favour. With a draw from the tricky trip to Solna, Deschamps might have persisted with the old faithful—pretty much his Euro 2016 starters, give or take the use of Djibril Sidibe and Benjamin Mendy at full-back.

Instead, Toivonen's dramatic intervention provoked some introspection. Why weren't young talents such as Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Thomas Lemar in from the start? Lloris' slip almost hastened the ascension of the next generation. That, and the prospect of the 2018 World Cup, in turn promise to quicken their recognition at the crest of the world game.

In the meantime, they have hardly been hiding their respective lights under a bushel. The sense that a change is on the way in terms of Ballon d'Or prospects comes not just from knowing Ronaldo and Messi are in their 30s but—from a French perspective—because the key candidates coming from the Hexagon are celebrated for their individual gifts, rather than their collective ones.

When assessing candidates falling into those criteria, we have to start with Mbappe and Dembele.

It might seem incongruous to call the two most expensive players in football history not called Neymar "rising stars," but neither is it completely unbecoming given their ages (Dembele is 20, while Mbappe only turns 19 this week) and the sentiment that they are only just beginning to unlock the full extent of their true respective potentials.

Mbappe, on the current state of play, is the man most in France expect to deliver them their next Ballon d'Or, despite being the junior of the two. In some quarters, such as AS Bondy, the local club where he took his first steps in football as a child, it has been expected for some time, as BBC World Service's John Bennett touched on recently.

In April, L'Equipe (via Made In Foot) begged Mbappe on its cover to stay for one more year, as Europe's finest circled Monaco. The public persona of the Paris Saint-Germain forward, perfectly balanced between unbridled joy at playing elite football and a total confidence that he belongs here, has equally endeared him to the country's general public and made him somebody they can believe in.

He is already dear to fans across the nation, and not just those in the capital. Standing ovations at away grounds—even at rivals such as Lyon—were commonplace during last term with Monaco, and the warmth has survived the move to Ligue 1's behemoth. At the weekend, he was mobbed by pitch invaders dressed as Ninja Turtles, per the Mirror, a nod to his longstanding nickname of Donatello.

That Mbappe has scored at a good rate this season (though he had taken heat in some quarters until his recent run of four in five games) is no surprise at all. What has really convinced the wider world of his star power this season is his all-round game. Having clicked perfectly with Neymar and Edinson Cavani, he already has 10 assists in Ligue 1 and the Champions League combined.

Though Dembele initially made his name with a raft of goals on his introduction to the Rennes first team, it was his widescreen game that caught the eye at Borussia Dortmund in 2016-17. He was outstanding. Despite getting just half of the 12-goal total he managed at Rennes in his debut Bundesliga campaign, everything BVB did going forward had the young Frenchman's fingerprints all over it.

Dembele tallied 18 assists in the Bundesliga and Champions League but impressive as that is, the numbers almost understate his impact. How else would he have left North Rhine-Westphalia after a year for a fee potentially almost 10 times the €15 million that Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke and company paid for him? He has the lot—two great feet, pace, vision and dribbling ability.

With these two young titans at the head of the queue, it's hard to see how Lemar or this year's two Ligue 1 standouts, Nabil Fekir and Florian Thauvin—the latter two both in sensational form but in their mid-20s and yet to establish themselves with France—could compete.

That Mbappe finished seventh in this year's Ballon d'Or voting despite not making his full Champions League debut until February says a lot. Dembele's injury-blighted 2017-18 with Barcelona had a big influence in keeping him away from the shortlist.

When one of them finally does reach that individual pinnacle, the other will applaud; it will likely be a mere footnote in the greater achievements of these two good friends. France's future, far beyond the World Cup, appears secure with Mbappe and Dembele.