Right, that’s your lot. Nick Ames has filed his match report, so I’m off to get ready for Countryfile. Thanks for your company and emails, many of which I didn’t get chance to read – goodnight!
Updated
More importantly, we have the verdict of Tim Greer’s girlfriend on Australia’s 1991 kit: “She says it’s pretty good for going out raving but not for playing football.”
Australia's home kit, circa 1991. No, just... no. #badfootballshirts #stinker #FFA pic.twitter.com/UW5JA6kxek
— WorldFootieChap (@WorldFootieChap) August 26, 2014
France will play England or Senegal in the quarter-final. You can follow that emotional rollercoaster with Scott Murray.
Pick these out
"Inevitable!" 💥
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 4, 2022
France lead by two. Kylian Mbappe is incredible.
📺💻📱 Watch on @BBCOne, @BBCiPlayer and the @BBCSport app.#BBCFootball #BBCWorldCup pic.twitter.com/iFQukJwCEs
Game.
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 4, 2022
Set.
Match.#FRA 3-0 #POL#BBCFootball #BBCWorldCup pic.twitter.com/F3Zh2MX5fN
Oh, Arsene
Mbappe and Lewandowski embrace at the final whistle, and yes I probably am too old to use the phrase ‘game recognising game’.
It was a comfortable win for France in the end, though Poland made them work. Olivier Giroud’s record-breaking goal just before half-time opened the door, and Kylian Mbappe marched through it with two scorchers in the second half. And just look what it means.
Full time: France 3-1 Poland
That was the last kick of the game.
GOAL! France 3-1 Poland (Lewandowski 90+9)
Lewandowski sends Lloris the wrong way to get his second goal of the tournament. No clean sheet for Lloris on his big day, but a nice way for Lewandowski to say ta-ra.
Updated
Lloris saves the penalty - but it has to be retaken!
Lloris was off his line, so that’s fair enough. It was an awful penalty, mind, and Lewandowski has now asked for the ball to be changed!
Updated
Penalty to Poland! And a chance for Robert Lewandowski to end his World Cup story with a goal.
Updated
VAR check for a Poland penalty! Grosicki’s cross hits the outstretched arm of Upamecano, and the referee is going to the monitor. This will be given. Upamecano had his back turned but this is the kind of decision referees have to give these days.
Updated
90+5 min “My girlfriend works in fashion and has no interest in football,” says Tim Greer. “However she did comment on the French kit, she said she is particularly taken by the shade of blue, the zip on the top which is very modern and the red socks, so there you go.”
90+4 min Milik hits the outside of the post with a lovely overhead kick, though it wouldn’t have counted as he was offside.
90+4 min I thought, watching Mbappe against Denmark, that there was just a hint – a suggestion, a soupçon – of Diego Maradona in 1986. He needs to do it at the business end to validate such a comparison, but he really does look in the mood.
90+3 min Axel Disasi comes on for Jules Kounde.
90+2 min Lewandowski misses a terrific chance to dirty France’s sheet, bobbling a snapshot wide from 12 yards. He should have scored.
It’s another belting goal, his fifth of the tournament. He was in a similar position to the first goal when a received a pass from Thuram, maybe a bit closer – but this time he smashed a curler towards the far top corner. Szczesny got a touch, which was an achievement in itself, but couldn’t keep it out.
Updated
GOAL! France 3-0 Poland (Mbappe 90+1)
Kylian Mbappe has seen Lionel Messi’s performance and raised it.
Updated
90 min “I too am a fan of the French kit, the dark blue maybe copying the change to the blue on the French flag,” says Thomas Meehan. “The Australian gold-green-white gets high marks from me as well. Interesting that the departed German shirt was popular, especially on these boards. I’m not a fan, I much prefer the simple white-black as per 1974. I really liked their old green away shirt, though you don’t see it much anymore.”
I loved the one they wore at Wembley in 1991. If you found a box of those in the DFB attic, you’d be a very rich person.
3⃣ 1991 Germany Away - Worn by Karl-Heinz Riedle, this may be the greatest shirt of which no replica was ever made. A stunner. pic.twitter.com/ZiShbWSVqM
— Classic Football Shirts (@classicshirts) September 5, 2021
88 min Thuram runs the weary Cash, who is a split-second late with his tackle. Yellow card for Cash.
87 min: Double substitution for Poland Jan Bednarek and Kamil Grosicki come on for Jakub Kiwior, who was sadly at fault for the crucial first goal, and Przemyslaw Frankowski.
85 min “On the notion that this French team is worse than 1998-2002, I would point to the fact that this lineup is missing its entire starting midfield from the last final, its starting left-back and its Ballon d’Or-winning striker, along with 3-4 other players,” says Abhyudaya Tyagi. “And they still look like one of the best teams in the tournament. I doubt the same could be said for the 98-02 team.”
I’d agree with everything you say, except the last sentence. They were one of the first national teams who relied on their depth. Both goals in the Euro 2000 final were scored by substitutes, for eg, and their reserves almost beat the hosts, the Netherlands, in the final group game.
84 min The game is petering out now.
83 min “In stark contrast to Ayew’s penalty for Ghana, when Mbappe took his first touch in the box I knew the ball was going to hit the back of the net,” says Matt Burtz. “I just didn’t know which part of the net. Fantastic finish.”
82 min After another pulse-quickening dribble from Mbappe, Hernandez shoots over on the turn.
80 min So, France will play either England or Senegal in the last quarter-final on Saturday. Win that and they will meet Spain, Portugal, Morocco or Switzerland in the semis.
79 min Like Australia and the USA, Poland will go home wrestling with what-ifs, most notably that triple chance before half-time. But I’m sure they’ll get an infinitely reception than they would have done had Mexico scored a third on Wednesday night.
76 min: Double substitution Kingsley Coman and Marcus Thuram replace Ousmane Dembele and Old Man Giroud, who just keeps rolling along.
That was a vicious finish. Giroud produced the most glorious first touch to kill an up-and-under clearance from Hernandez, then gave the ball to Dembele on the right. He cut inside and slid the ball across to Mbappe, in space on the edge of the area. Mbappe moved inside, shaped to shoot across goal and then blistered a rising drive past Szczesny at the near post. Just brilliant. It’s Mbappe’s fourth goal of the tournament, which puts him ahead of the pack in the race for the Golden Boot.
Updated
GOAL! France 2-0 Poland (Mbappe 74)
Kylian Mbappe has been desperate to score all game, and he’s finally done so with a belter.
Updated
74 min “I wonder whether France have ever dominated a single match at a major tournament for the whole 90 minutes,” says Dominik Zezula. “I mean under Deschamps. It always feels like they just flip a switch on, score (or come close), then relax. Switzerland would never beat them at the Euros had France stayed on top of their game for the whole match.
“For a team that has won a World Cup they sure do look beatable, yet they rarely lose. Kind of like Zidane’s Real Madrid a few years back.”
I know what you mean. Even at Euro 2000, they had such aura and class that it always felt like they were going to win the whole thing. Yet they needed a last-minute penalty miss from Raul to beat Spain, a brilliant last-minute save from Barthez to take Portugal to extra-time, and an injury-time equaliser from Wiltord to survive against Italy in the final.
72 min Zielinski’s free-kick is headed well over by Glik, leaping backwards beyond the far post. A very difficult chance.
71 min: Double substition for Poland Krystian Bielik and Nicola Zalewski replace Jakub Kaminski and Grzegorz Krychowiak.
70 min Lewandowski is fouled by Upamecano near the touchline on the right. A stupid foul. Whatever happens from here, Poland have redeemed that miserable performance against Argentina on Wednesday. They’ve been really good today.
68 min Hernandez does well to ensure Kaminski can’t get to a dangerous floated cross from the left. Poland aren’t out of this.
Updated
67 min A couple of minutes ago – I forgot to mention it because of the substitutions – Mbappe went down just inside the area after a bodycheck from a Poland defender. The flag then went up for an offside earlier in the move, but replays suggested that was an incorrect decision. We don’t know whether VAR checked for the penalty; if they did, they saw nothing wrong.
66 min And now a change for France: Youssouf Fofana is on for Aurelien Tchouameni.
66 min Kounde’s half-volleyed cross is flicked into the side netting by Giroud. That was a deft, clever effort because the angle was really tight and he had a defender right up against him.
Updated
64 min A change for Poland: Arkadiusz Milik replaces Sebastian Szymanski.
63 min Mbappe plays a neat one-two with Giroud on the left side of the area, then arrows a first-time shot… to Griezmann on the right wing. Even the greats have a Hackney Marshes moment in them.
62 min “France have the best first strip in this World Cup, England among the worst,” says Julian Menz. “Discuss.”
Hmm, this particular shade of French blue leaves me cold. Off the top of my noggin, I really like Morocco’s 1998 tribute, the shade of red in South Korea’s kit, and one other that I can’t remember. Might be one of the Swiss kits. I don’t mind England’s but it has a bit of an ice-lolly quality to it. I really like the colour of the Lionesses’ away kit, actually.
61 min Dembele cuts the ball back sharply to the unmarked Mbappe on the edge of the area. He is unusually indecisive and Szymanski picks his pocket.
Updated
61 min “Ah, the knockout stages of a major football tournament,” says Simon McMahon. “Not something Scotland has ever had to worry about. Though I’m looking forward already to when we play Djibouti in the Round of 128 in 2030…”
Updated
60 min One-nil can be a dangerous scoreline. Not as dangerous as 2-0, I’ll give you that, but France won’t feel comfortable until they score a third.
60 min “Has the Poland manager read ‘Defender’ by Steve Barnes (Bruce)?” wonders Ian Burbidge. “In the novel Barnes (Bruce) employs the ingenious tactic of never letting his players touch the ball in training so they are hungry for it on a matchday. Imagine what’s going to happen when the ravenous Lewandowski gets to dine!”
Updated
59 min Szczesny is fine. I don’t know whether the referee blew for a foul on the keeper (I don’t think it was) or just because of the way he landed after climbing over Varane to punch a cross away. Either side the whistled had gone, so there’s nothing VAR can do.
57 min Giroud scores with a gloriously acrobatic overhead kick, but the whistle had already gone after Szczesny landed awkwardly. Shame as it was a beautifully elegant finish, the kind we’ve seen Giroud score a few times.
Updated
56 min Mbappe slows down, then zips infield, away from Cash, and smacks a shot that hits Krychowiak and spins just wide of the far post. Szczesny was totally wrong-footed.
56 min “For absolutely no discernible reason, I don’t like this France team. At all,” writes Matt Dony, who has taken Wales’ elimination well. “The thought of them winning the whole thing and basking in definitive, unarguable greatness turns my stomach slightly. But I can’t put my finger on why. A Lewandowski sucker punch would be tremendous. But I’m not holding out much hope.”
I know what you mean – they don’t feel as good as, say, the France team of 98-02 – but retention brooks no argument. Unless you’re a Pep-era Barcelona fan in denial about Real Madrid 2016-18.
55 min France play through Poland with delightful ease. Eventually Griezmann’s cross towards Mbappe is turned behind for a corner.
54 min The game feels really open now. Mbappe plays in the overlapping Rabiot, whose slightly aimless cutback is cleared by Bereszynski.
Updated
As Richie Aprile once said, a few seconds before threatning to kill someone, ‘look at this fkin line-up’
Today's @guardian_sport FW@bglendenning @PhilippeAuclair @marklangdon @barneyronay
— Max Rushden 💛🖤 (@maxrushden) December 4, 2022
Any questions?
51 min Mbappe charges at Glik, who makes a beautifully timed, almost nonchalant, interception.
50 min “Did Zielinski hit it ‘too well’?” asks Hugh Molloy, referring to that chance just before Giroud’s goal.
He hit it even better than that. Weller than well. Weller than you could ever imagine.
49 min A lovely touch from Giroud finds Dembele, and a disgraceful touch from Dembele finds Szczesny. Ousmane! He has so much talent, and when he’s on there’s nobody in world football quite like him. But there’s always a but.
48 min Griezmann smashes the resulting free-kick into the six-yard box and Szczesny punches clear.
Updated
47 min Bereszynski is booked for a lunging tackle on Dembele. He pleads that he won the ball fairly, and he’s right.
47 min “I would like to offer an apology to the entire population of Poland,” writes Mary Waltz. “My prediction of a park-the-bus 0-0 snoozefest, once again, was entirely off the mark. Poland is making France sweat. Game on.”
I’ll second that apology. The weird thing is that we are often rewarded for being wrong – the more you assume a Big Team victory, the greater the excitement when the Little Team makes a game of it.
46 min Peep peep! Poland begin the second half.
Updated
I’ve been watching replays of that Zielinski chance. Lloris took it flush on the thigh, which brought back some chilling memories of playing with a Mitre Mouldmaster at Borden Grammar School, specifically the stinging kiss when it was rocketed towards your bare flesh.
HOW have Poland not scored?! 😳
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 4, 2022
📺💻📱 Watch from on @BBCOne, @BBCiPlayer and the @BBCSport app.#BBCFootball #BBCWorldCup pic.twitter.com/q1KMgw2hVE
“So,” says Colin Livingstone, “do we have to call him Jewels Kounde now?”
AKA The Denis Irwin Principle
If everyone says a players is underrated, does that means he is rated?!! #Giroud #FRAPOL
— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) December 4, 2022
Updated
Here is a clip of French fans in a Parisian bar celebrating Giroud’s late goal before the interval:
Here’s the goal from Olivier Giroud
The history-making goal for Olivier Giroud! 🙌
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 4, 2022
He scores on the biggest stage of all to become France's all-time leading goalscorer! 🇫🇷#BBCFootball #BBCWorldCup pic.twitter.com/6XNOgDIY6W
Half-time reading
Half time: France 1-0 Poland
Peep peep! France lead through Olivier Giroud’s 52nd goal for his country. The scoreline is as expected, but it’s a bit harsh on a Poland side who played with much greater purpose and could easily have taken the lead.
45+2 min The resulting corner is kept alive by Poland and then dropped by Lloris, but he gets away with it.
45+1 min: Kaminski almost equalises! Cash’s sharp cross from the right bounces up towards Kaminski, 12 yards out at the near post. He controls it deftly and strikes a shot that deflects off a defender and into the side netting.
Updated
It’s his 52nd goal for Les Bleus, which puts him one ahead of Thierry Henry, and it was a simple affair. Upamecano gave the ball to Mbappe, 25 yards out in the inside-left channel. He threaded it down the side to Giroud, who screwed a shot across Szczesny and into the corner. That’s a really accomplished finish. One of the defenders, Kiwior I think, tried to play offside and got it horribly wrong. Had he tracked Giroud, I doubt Poland would be behind.
Updated
GOAL! France 1-0 Poland (Giroud 44)
Olivier Giroud becomes France’s record goalscorer!
Updated
43 min Here’s that triple chance for Poland a few minutes ago.
HOW have Poland not scored?! 😳
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 4, 2022
📺💻📱 Watch from on @BBCOne, @BBCiPlayer and the @BBCSport app.#BBCFootball #BBCWorldCup pic.twitter.com/q1KMgw2hVE
42 min The referee has realised that Jules Kounde is wearing a gold necklace, so there’s a break in play while he removes it. Actually, Samuel Duncan emailed about this in the first few minutes of the game; I made a mental note to look out for it, and then forgot. God bless ADHD.
40 min For the first 20 minutes, Poland looked like they were in the departure lounge, but since then they have been terrific.
38 min: HOW ARE POLAND NOT IN FRONT! They had three chances in the space of five seconds. Bereszynski played a neat one-two with Frankowski, aided by smart off-the-ball movement from Lewandowski, and got round the back on the left.
His cutback deflected invitingly towards the onrushing Zielinski, who smashed a shot straight at Lloris’s left thigh from about 13 yards. Zielinski’s follow-up was blocked by Hernandez, and then the second follow-up from Kaminski was cleared off the line by Varane.
Zielinski’s was the big chance, and he should have scored. He sweet-spotted it, sure, but it was straight at Lloris.
Updated
38 min “Greetings from Cali, Rob!” says Irra Core. “I’ve always wondered, when players and the referee are yelling at each other, are they all using a common language?”
<Cheese>The language of football</cheese>. I’m not sure, to be honest. I have a vague memory of a player calling the referee all sorts in his native language, not realising that the referee spoke it as well, and being sent off. Off you pop! But I may have imagined that.
35 min: Good save from Szczesny. Mbappe makes Cash look silly, twisting him inside out on the left side of the area. Then he blasts a left-footed shot towards the near post that is pushed into the side netting by Szczesny.
34 min Cash’s speculative cross-shot flies right across the penalty area and behind for a goalkick.
34 min Bereszynski’s cross leads to a bit of desperate defending from France. They’re in a game here. In fact, Poland have had more of the ball in this first half.
34 min “For the last 20 years at least, at every World Cup, I hear how England have a chance of making the final,” says Jeff Sachs. “This is so unrealistic!!! Is this an example of wishful thinking?”
Trust me, Jeff, nobody was suggesting the teams of 2010, 2014 and 2018 had a chance of making the final. As for this team, I think they’ll lose to the first elite team they face, but I won’t be shocked if they reach the final. Mortified, sure, but not shocked.
Updated
33 min It’s a poor free-kick, straight into the wall.
32 min The free-kick is 25 yards out, a fair way to the left of centre, and Robert Lewandowski is over it…
Updated
31 min Tchouameni is booked for a crunching block tackle on Frankowski. His studs were showing a bit, though it still feels slightly harsh.
29 min: Giroud misses an open goal! Frankowski stretched to keep the ball in play, and in doing so gave it to Griezmann. He played in the overlapping Dembele, whose fierce low cross was turned wide of the far post from four yards by the sliding Giroud. He should have scored, although maybe there was too much pace on the cross as well.
Updated
28 min So far, so good for Poland. Szczesny has only had one fairly difficult save to make.
27 min “Greece at Euro 2004 should have been a likeable underdog story, but I understand it wasn’t because of their style of play,” writes PK Adithya. “At least they scored in all of their games (I think) and didn’t need even one penalty shootout in the knockout stages.
“A better example of a footballing atrocity might have been Paraguay at the 2011 Copa America, who made it to the final after three draws in the group stage and two wins on penalties in the quarterfinal and semifinal (after 0-0 draws of course). Thankfully Uruguay stuffed them 3-0 in the final with Suarez scoring the opener.”
The good will out.
26 min Poland are dominating possession at the moment, but that heightens the Mbappe risk. He scorches past Frankowski, who tries to pull him back and fails, before being dispossessed by the covering defender. Mbappe wanted a foul and/or a yellow card; the referee ignored him.
25 min This is a really good spell for Poland. Lewandowski receives a cutback in the area, back to goal, and lays it off to Frankowski (I think). His shot is blocked.
23 min A deflected cross from the left falls nicely for Lewandowski on the edge of the area. He controls it, realises the shot isn’t on with bodies in front of him and instead tries to play in Kaminski to his right. It’s a poor pass, far too heavy.
20 min Tchouameni’s cross from the left ricochets around the six-yard box before being punched away by Szczesny. Poland break and Lewandowski belts an excellent left-footed shot just wide from 25 yards. Lloris had it covered but it was sweetly struck.
19 min If Poland are to pull off a shock, they need to get Zielinski into the game, never mind Lewandowski.
18 min “That’s it,” says Justin Kavanagh. “I’m sending Lewandowski a nice new football for Christmas this year. God knows, the poor man won’t have seen one for six weeks.”
16 min It feels like a matter of time before France score. Dembele wins the ball high up the field, uses Giroud by not using him but then drives too close to Szczesny from the edge of the D.
Updated
15 min Griezmann’s through ball is just too heavy for Giroud.
15 min “Do you think,” says Anis Aslaam, “that Poland can do a Greece 2004 and go all the way to lift the cup?”
How to put this politely?
13 min Tchouameni whistles a low drive from 25 yards that is well saved by Szczesny, diving low to his right to push it away. It’s all France.
Updated
12 min “Crowd looking more ‘early rounds of the Carabao’ than World Cup R-16,” says Ben Kybatt. “The variation in atmospheres at this tournament has been extraordinary, with some countries packing the stands with extremely vocal fans (e.g Argentina, Saudi) and others struggling to attracts crowd (the hosts and most of the European teams). All very odd.”
Indeed. Argentina v Mexico was a stinker of a game with an atmosphere for the ages.
11 min Mbappe beats Cash with a terrifying change of pace and crosses towards Dembele beyond the far post. He collects, shifts onto his right foot and hits a shot that ricochets off a defender for a corner.
Poland coach Czesław Michniewicz missed his calling as a snooker referee at the 1987 Lada Classic. pic.twitter.com/gM3f5Go8DI
— John Brewin (@JohnBrewin_) December 4, 2022
9 min Hernandez beats Cash on the left and clips a dangerous cross that is headed behind by the stooping Bereszynski (I think). This time Griezmann’s corner is punched away by Szczesny.
9 min Griezmann stabs a pass down the side of the defence towards Giroud. Cash (I think) reads it well and clears.
7 min “Rob, greetings from soggy Cali,” says Mary Waltz. “The discussion on what formation the Poles have deployed is somewhat pointless. France will spend 70% of the match in Poland’s half of the field. Poland’s only hope is a nil-nil full time followed by a shootout.”
5 min Varane plays the ball back to Lloris, whose gives Upamecano a stinker of a pass with a Poland player up his derriere. Upamecano just about manages to squeeze the ball out to Hernandez on the left.
Updated
4 min Griezmann’s inswinging corner is headed well wide by Varane, five yards out. He was under a fair bit of pressure, so it wasn’t an easy chance. But it was a chance.
3 min Dembele’s cross deflects behind for the first corner of the game. Feels like the pattern of the game has already been established: attack and defence, invasion and repulsion.
2 min Griezmann is fouled 30 yards from goal, roughly in line with the right edge of the penalty area. He overhits an inswinging free-kick and it drifts behind for a goalkick.
1 min It looks like a 4-1-4-1 for Poland rather than a back five.
1 min Peep peep! France kick off from left to right, in front of a capacity crowd.
Maybe it’s the all European angle - neither have big backing here - but pretty grim crowd picture ahead of France v Poland unless there’s a serious amount of latecomers caught up outside pic.twitter.com/jCOlHI7yFO
— Daniel McDonnell (@McDonnellDan) December 4, 2022
“Wonderful, that clip from the 1986 game – thank you,” says Charles Antaki. “It also makes one think about Pele (not involved in 1986 of course), and how the Brazilian camp will react to the sadness of his situation. It oughtn’t take more than a brief reflection on the lachrymose hysteria of 2014 to make them think that a bit of dignity and discretion will go a long way here. But if he passes away during the competition…”
And if they play Argentina in the final… but happily, the latest news is a bit more encouraging.
The players line up for the anthems. Here’s our verdict on Poland’s.
It is called Dabrowski’s Mazurka, which means “Poland is not yet lost”. The lyrics were written by Jozef Wybicki in 1797 but the composer of the music remains unknown. The anthem is filled with patriotism and faith in regaining independence after it was lost in the Third Partition of Poland by Russia, Prussia and Austria. It expresses the idea that despite no longer being an independent state, the nation would live on as long as the people were fighting in its name.
“If it’s anything like the last game, Poland’s formation should be 9-0-1 surely?” says Kevin Ryan. “TDA.”
Well, yeah. A 5-2-2-1 formation is not without euphemistic potential.
Ten minutes to kick off
Let’s have a reminder of the teams.
France (4-2-3-1) Lloris; Kounde, Varane, Upamecano, T Hernandez; Tchouameni, Rabiot; Dembele, Griezmann, Mbappe; Giroud.
Substitutes: Mandanda, Areola, Pavard, Disasi, Guendouzi, Kolo Muani, Fofana, Veretout, Saliba, Coman, Konate, Camavinga, Thuram.
Poland (possible 5-2-2-1) Szczesny; Cash, Bereszynski, Kiwior, Glik, Frankowski; S Szymanski, Krychowiak; Zielinski, Kaminski; Lewandowski.
Substitutes: Skorupski, Grabara, Jedrzejczyk, Wieteska, Bednarek, Bielik, Milik, D Szymanski, Grosicki, Swiderski, Zurkowski, Zalewski, Piatek, Gumny, Skoras.
Referee Jesus Valenzuela Saez (Venezuela)
Olivier Giroud could make history today. He has 51 goals for France, the same as Thierry Henry, and needs one to become France’s all-time leading goalscorer. Not bad for a player who has been lightly patronised throughout his career.
Updated
The BBC have Poland’s formation as 4-1-4-1, as below, rather than 5-2-2-1. Time will tell at this point.
Poland Szczesny; Cash, Kiwior, Glik, Bereszynski; Krychowiak; Kaminski, Zielinski, S Szymanski, Frankowski; Lewandowski.
“That Brazil v Poland throwback video – we need a broadcaster to ‘reboot’ spinning screens and the large flashing yellow R that denotes a replay,” says Pat. “So 80s. So great. See it in full glory at 5:30 in the video.”
Give it to Messi
“France,” says Jeff Sachs, “are the only serious challenger to Brazil.”
They could meet in the final as well. I still think Spain, England, Portugal or Argentina could win it, in that order, though France and Brazil look the likeliest.
This is Poland’s first knockout match at the World Cup since 1986, when they gave Brazil a scare before eventually losing 4-0. Their spirit was broken early in the second half when Josimar scored another monstrous goal to make it 2-0.
All the best shocks occur when you (think you) know the result beforehand
Whimper versus bang latest
Team news: nine changes for France
Didier Deschamps makes nine changes from the Tunisia game, returning to the XI that beat Denmark eight days ago. Raphael Varane and Aurelien Tchouameni are the only men who started on Wednesday.
The Poland coach Czeslaw Michniewicz makes two changes from the team that lost to Argentina. Sebastian Szymanski and Jakub Kaminski replace Krystian Bielik and Karol Swiderski, which could mean a switch to a back five.
France (4-2-3-1) Lloris; Kounde, Varane, Upamecano, T Hernandez; Tchouameni, Rabiot; Dembele, Griezmann, Mbappe; Giroud.
Substitutes: Mandanda, Areola, Pavard, Disasi, Guendouzi, Kolo Muani, Fofana, Veretout, Saliba, Coman, Konate, Camavinga, Thuram.
Poland (possible 5-2-2-1) Szczesny; Cash, Bereszynski, Kiwior, Glik, Frankowski; S Szymanski, Krychowiak; Zielinski, Kaminski; Lewandowski.
Substitutes: Skorupski, Grabara, Jedrzejczyk, Wieteska, Bednarek, Bielik, Milik, D Szymanski, Grosicki, Swiderski, Zurkowski, Zalewski, Piatek, Gumny, Skoras.
Referee Jesus Valenzuela Saez (Venezuela)
Updated
Hugo Lloris starts today against Poland and becomes the most capped player in France football history with 142 caps, level with Lilian Thuram. What an incredible achievement!
— Julien Laurens (@LaurensJulien) December 4, 2022
I see Amélie Poulain’s been up to mischief again
Preamble
The best way to achieve greatness is to retain something. Okay, not anything. Nobody put Modena in the pantheon when they won the Anglo-Italian Cup in 1981 and 1982. But the World Cup, now that’s the ultimate. It has been retained only twice, by Italy in 1938 and Brazil in 1962, and no team has even come close since the turn of the century.
To win the World Cup twice in a row brooks not a solitary sane argument, and that’s what France are hoping to achieve over the next fortnight. Qualifying for the knockout rounds is a big start. Incredibly, and for once I’m not misusing that word, four of the previous five holders went out in the group stage, including France in 2002. Don’t bother trying to understand; just file it under F,BH.
Even without half a dozen of their best players, France, and particularly Kylian Mbappe, looked ominous in beating Australia and Denmark. Their reserve side lost to Tunisia on Wednesday, though there’s a comforting precedent for that. At Euro 2000, France’s B team lost the third group game to the Netherlands; the A team won the tournament.
France’s path to glory in Qatar was made harder by Spain’s defeat to Japan in the week. They may now have to beat England, Spain and either Argentina or Brazil to win the trophy. But first, Des, they have to take care of Poland. That part feels straighforward, though we said the same before they lost to Switzerland at the same stage of Euro 2020.
Still, Poland look ripe for evisceration after qualifying for the last 16 with their tail between their legs. It feels like they lost today’s game on Wednesday night. They were heavily criticised for their passive, pragmatic defeat to Argentina, and things like that can devastate morale. Who knew good behaviour could be so lamentable?
Kick off 3pm GMT, 6pm in Al Thumama, 4pm in Paris and Warsaw. The winners will play England or Senegal in the last quarter-final on Saturday evening.
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