EURO 2016 Preview - France

Team: France

Manager: Didier Deschamps

Group: A

Other teams in group: Romania, Albania, Switzerland

THE SQUAD

Overall, manager Didier Deschamps announced a squad without any real surprises. France’s love-hate relationship with Les Bleus is probably at its most positive point since it hit rock bottom in South Africa during the World Cup in 2010.

The most surprising omission has to be OGC Nice’s Hatem Ben Arfa who, despite a brilliant season on the Côte d’Azur, didn’t make the cut. Ben Arfa’s 18 goals and electric form have most likely been outdone by his poor reputation as a trouble-maker in the dressing room – a reason why Dimitri Payet missed out for so long since Deschamps took over the reins – and not even a campaign by popular football weekly France Football could change the former Chelsea man’s mind.

Ben Arfa is amongst the reserves alongside fellow Ligue 1 star Alexandre Lacazette who will be equally disappointed to be among the stand-bys. He scored 23 goals as Lyons provided the only ‘real’ challenge to PSG’s dominance this season.

The rest of the squad is made of names familiar to many a Champions League follower and a few Ligue 1 stalwarts such as goalkeeper Steve Mandanda.

The squad in full:

Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Steve Mandanda (Marseilles), Benoît Costil (Rennes)

Defenders: Raphael Varane (Real Madrid), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal), Eliaquim Mangala (Manchester City), Jeremy Mathieu (Barcelona), Patrice Evra (Juventus), Bacary Sagna (Manchester City), Lucas Digne (Roma), Christophe Jallet (Lyons)

Midfielders: Paul Pogba (Juventus), Blaise Matuidi (Paris Saint-Germain), Lassana Diarra (Marseilles), N'Golo Kante (Leicester City), Yohan Cabaye (Crystal Palace), Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle United)

Forwards: Antoine Griezmann (Atlético Madrid), Dimitri Payet (West Ham United), Anthony Martial (Manchester United), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich), Olivier Giroud (Arsenal), Andre-Pierre Gignac (Tigres)

HOW THEY GOT HERE

For a change, France didn’t need an easy qualifying group as they qualified as hosts.

KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR

Since his transfer from AS Saint-Étienne to Paris Saint-Germain Blaise Matuidi has been getting plaudits from all over Europe. His ability to hold the midfield has been compared to Claude Makelele but he also has the ability to drive forward from midfield and link up with the forwards.

Andre-Pierre Gignac’s inclusion may surprise a few as he plays his domestic football in the relative nether region of Mexico. Gignac’s ability in the air, as well as with his feet, gives France a great plan B option should they want to use a target man at any point. Gignac is also regarded as a bit of a joker, and his presence will no doubt be a morale-booster during those long days holed up in the Clairefontaine complex during the tournament.
 

WHERE THEY ARE PLAYING AND STAYING

Unlike the last tournament the French hosted – World Cup 1998 – the French will be going on tour rather than playing all their matches at the Stade de France. Their opening fixture will be at the Stade de France versus Romania on 10^th June. Five days later they meet Albania at the newly refurbished Stade Vélodrome in Marseilles. Their last group match is against Switzerland at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille on 19^th June.  

Following a pre-tournament camp in Biarritz where the squad have gone on mountain bike rides, held training camps with local youth teams and stayed at a spa they will take refuge in their national football complex at Clairefontaine as they do normally for home internationals.

THREE INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE TEAM

Jean-Pierre Gignac is expected to don the number 10 shirt for France. He will have big shoes to fill, as at the last two tournaments played in France, the players who have worn number 10 have been Zinedine Zidane (1998) and Michel Platini (1984).

This will be Patrice Evra’s fifth major tournament after Euro 2008, 2012 and World Cup 2010 and 2014.

The third choice goalkeeper, Benoît Costil, is the only player never to have been capped for France in the squad.

THEIR RECENT FORM

France’s form is hard to judge as their toughest friendly to date, against world champions Germany, was abandoned due to the terrorist attacks on Paris on 13^th November last year. Their three most recent friendlies versus Brazil, Denmark and Belgium brought two wins and a loss against the Danes. Those matches also saw 13 goals suggesting whilst the formidable French attack will pose problems, their defence is equally penetrable.

First game: Romania, Friday 10^th June.