Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo are nearing the end of their football careers. Once they hang up their boots, the sole sovereign of the football world will be Kylian Mbappe of France. Legions of fans are waiting eagerly to see him in action once again on a big stage as the UEFA European football championships gets underway on June14.
In the past legendary players had donned the blue jersey of France. They include the likes of Michel Platini, Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry and Karim Benzema. But Mbappe, whose roots lie in Cameroon in central Africa, may outdo them all. He possesses electrifying speed and due to his robust physique, he cannot be easily pushed off his line.
Still fresh in every football lover’s mind is the extraordinary display that Mbappe gave in the FIFA World Cup final against Argentina two years ago. At a stage when France seemed ready to capitulate to its South American rival, Mbappe revived his national team by raising the tempo with a fantastic game. He also banged in a hattrick himself.
It was just bad luck that France lost in the penalty shoot out to Messi and his men from Argentina. But Mbappe and Messi emerged as the stars of the match and the entire tournament. Commentators praised the intensity of the match and many media outlets called it essentially a duel between Messi and Mbappe.
This time in the European championship, Mbappe will be leading France and hoping to lift the trophy when the event ends on July 14. The team that will probably be the biggest hurdle for France is likely to be Germany. Recently Mbappe was asked which team, apart from France, could be a contender for the trophy and he named the strong German side. However Italy which won the tournament in 2020 will be another formidable team and should not be taken lightly.
But France has a good blend of experienced hands and young players. Antoine Griezmann, aged 33, with 129 caps and Oliver Giroud, aged 37, with 133 caps are among the most experienced players and their names are familiar to all football lovers across the world.
Certain players seem to get better with age and the above two seem to be in that category. Griezmann is considered to be top class and is a very versatile player. Besides having commendable match intelligence and attacking output, he also has an excellent off-the-ball game.
The 6-feet-4 inches tall Oliver Giroud has already created history in France. He is his nation’s all time highest goal scorer. He is known for his quick reactions which have led to spectacular goals. His opportunistic goal scoring ability and his towering presence makes him a very dangerous man inside the rival box. No doubt Coach Didier Deschamps will hope that Giroud will be also able to create field space for Griezmann and Mbappe.
Kylian Mbappe who is now 25 years old and has 79 appearances for France with less experience than the above duo but Mbappe is a born leader. Then there is also the diminutive but superbly gifted 33-year-old N’golo Kante whose exploits in midfield have made him a highly sought after player.
But France may have a weak point in a very vital segment of the game. None of the three goalkeepers named in the 25-man squad have much experience. The three goalies are Brice Samba (three appearances for France), Mike Maignan (16 caps), and Alphonse Areola (5 caps). Now it is up to manager Didier Deschamps to make the best choice depending upon the circumstances.
Manager Deschamps is a popular figure in France. While playing as a defensive midfielder in France’s team he had helped his country to win the FIFA World Cup in 1998. He then became a manager of the team and guided France to victory in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. If he can give France the European championship in 2024, he will attain immortality in the minds of football followers in France.
| 
