Another test of France’s World Cup-winning credentials arrives on Friday when the two-time champions take on an impressive Norway.
France enter the final fixture of Group I after dispatching Senegal and Iraq, with its superior goal difference meaning it can afford to simply draw against the Norwegians to retain top spot. A victory would be the icing on the cake.
Didier Deschamps will be desperate for France to lock down first place, offering his players a fixture with a third-placed team in the last 32, rather than the second-placed nation from Group E—one of Côte d‘Ivoire, Ecuador and Curaçao.
Deschamps won’t be on the touchline due to a family bereavement, but he’ll no doubt be in touch and will oversee a strong team selection.
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France Predicted XI vs. Norway (4-2-3-1)
Pick Your France World Cup XI!
GK: Mike Maignan—Maignan came through the Iraq clash unscathed, with the AC Milan goalkeeper not required to make a single stop.
RB: Jules Koundé—The versatile Koundé has impressed in his opening two matches this summer, but Antonio Nusa will be an entirely different prospect.
CB: Dayot Upamecano—Upamecano‘s stellar form with Bayern Munich has continued into the World Cup, but firmer tests of his credentials are to come, starting with Erling Haaland.
CB: William Saliba—Saliba has regularly wrestled with Haaland in the Premier League and knows the unwavering concentration required to keep the Manchester City forward at bay.
LB: Théo Hernandez—Lucas Digne came into the team against Iraq and impressed against admittedly limited opposition, but first-choice Hernandez is likely to return.
DM: Aurélien Tchouaméni—Like Hernandez, Tchouaméni was benched against Iraq in favor of Manu Koné. However, the Real Madrid enforcer remains first-choice as the defensive presence in the midfield double pivot.
DM: Adrien Rabiot—Only Kylian Mbappé and N‘Golo Kanté have been used more frequently by Deschamps than Rabiot among current squad members, underlining the consistent faith put in the classy midfielder.
RW: Ousmane Dembélé—The Ballon d’Or winner scored his first tournament goal for France against Iraq shortly after his selfless assist for Mbappé, and that will be a major weight off his shoulders moving forward.
AM: Michael Olise—Olise‘s dazzling creativity has proven too much for Senegal and Iraq to cope with—the Bayern playmaker now up to three assists for the tournament.
LW: Désiré Doué—Bradley Barcola came into the team against Iraq, but Doué still appears to be first-choice on the left wing. The youngster must deliver to fend off his Paris Saint-Germain clubmate, though.
