The French team inherited from Portugal, holding the title, from Croatia and Sweden, as adversaries for the second edition of the League of Nations, according to the draw carried out Tuesday in Amsterdam. Didier Deschamps' selection fell into group 3 of Ligue A, which allows its winner to obtain a ticket for the "Final Four" (2-6 June 2021).
A remake of the finals of Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup
This pool offers a "remake" of the finals of the last two major tournaments: the Euro 2016 between French and Portuguese (won by Portugal), and the 2018 World Cup between the Blues and the Croats (won by France). The Seleçao of Cristiano Ronaldo, who is among the favorites for the final trophy, definitely does not let go of France: the two teams will meet this summer during Euro 2020, in a "hen of death" also composed of Germany and a roadblock yet to be determined.
Sweden completes this very marked cast. This country has not smiled at France lately: the Swedes won their last face-to-face, during the World Cup qualifiers, in June 2017 in Solna (2-1), with a memorable blunder from the goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
First match in early September
The draw also reserved two other groups of choice: the 2, which will pit England, Belgium, Denmark, and Iceland, as well as the 4, with Switzerland, Spain, Ukraine, and Germany. In the first edition of the League of Nations, the Blues finished in second place in their pool behind the Netherlands, who hung the only qualifying ticket for the "Final Four".
The training of Didier Deschamps, reigning world champion, applies for this "final four", which crowned Portugal last June, but it will have to deal with a busy schedule. The group stage is due to start on September 3, less than two months after the final of Euro 2020, scheduled for July 12 in London.
The composition of the League of Nations groups:
League A
Group 1: Netherlands, Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland
Group 2: England, Belgium, Denmark, Iceland
Group 3: Portugal, France , Sweden, Croatia
Group 4: Switzerland, Spain, Ukraine, Germany
League B
Group 1: Austria, Norway, Northern Ireland, Romania
Group 2: Czech Republic, Scotland, Slovakia, Israel
Group 3: Russia, Serbia, Turkey, Hungary
Group 4: Wales, Finland, Eire, Bulgaria
League C
Group 1: Montenegro, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Azerbaijan
Group 2: Georgia, North Macedonia, Estonia, Armenia
Group 3: Greece, Kosovo, Slovenia, Moldova
Group 4: Albania, Belarus, Lithuania, Kazakhstan
League D
Group 1: Malta, Andorra, Latvia, Faroe Islands
Group 2: San Marino, Liechtenstein, Gibraltar