After a Missed Euro Title, France Can Still Turn Loss to Victory

After 10 years in the wilderness, French coach Deschamps has built a side ready to vie for the next World Cup.

When the final whistle went off in Paris, the disappointment of France’s Euro 2016 loss to Portugal could be felt among their fans. However, after almost 10 years in the wilderness, coach Didier Deschamps has built a side ready to vie for the next World Cup.

Having come into the tournament with few pundits expecting them to go beyond the semi-finals, let alone defeat Germany for the first time in a competitive game in 58 years, they managed to exceed expectations and lay solid foundations.

There is a youthful togetherness, hunger and swagger about this French team that with a few tweaks will make them a stronger side as they aim for the World Cup title in Russia in two years’ time.

The defeat to Portugal highlighted that France’s young guns still need to mature after coming up against an opponent as intimidating as Portugal. Great teams are often built on such defeats.

Our disappointment is immense and will take time to digest. We won together, we suffered together and we lost together. 

Didier Deschamps, French Football Team Coach

The 20-year old winger, Kingsley Coman, France’s youngest player, summed up the team’s disappointment by storming off straight into the tunnel as the whistle went, but after a word from the staff was back to thank the fans.

At 25, Antoine Griezmann proved with his six goals that he is just at the start of his journey as heir to the great French number 10s: Zinedine Zidane and Michel Platini.

Perhaps the burden on his shoulders after a 70th match of the season was just too much on the day.

Ironically, it was France’s main strength in the tournament, their attack, that let them down that night. They lacked that cutting edge and freshness to get them over the line.

But with Karim Benzema, their best striker absent at the tournament, Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette waiting in the wings and Anthony Martial still developing, the prospects are bright up front.

Solid Spine

The French midfield trio of Blaise Matuidi, Paul Pogba and Moussa Sissoko were on top for much of Sunday’s match. N’Golo Kante, who did not play in the final, has shown that he can add steel to the French midfield.

Pogba still has to show that he can become the great player he aspires to be. He had intermittent flashes of brilliance throughout the tournament.

But at 23, he has his best years ahead of him and could be the man that drives the team forward.

Prior to the tournament, France’s Achilles heel was their defence. It has, on the whole, defied those critics. With no caps prior to Euro 2016, 22-year-old Samuel Umtiti has proved that he has a future at this level.

The French team were already lacking their top central defensive partnership in Raphael Varane and Mamadou Sakho but are spoiled for choice for centre backs with Kurt Zouma and Aymeric Laporte among those knocking on the door.

Arguably, Deschamps’ biggest headache will be replacing his full backs.

While Patrice Evra has played a father figure role in the team, his performances have not justified his place. Layvin Kurzawa and Lucas Digne must now step up. On the right, Bacary Sagna will also step aside, although there is no natural replacement as yet.

I’m proud of what this group of 23 players achieved. We didn’t get the reward, but we have an exceptional group and that let’s us think that we will have better days. 

Didier Deschamps, French Football Team Coach