Europe 1 with AFP 10:28 p.m., December 04, 2022
France made the powder talk against Poland (3-1) on Sunday with the untenable gunner Kylian Mbappé and the record scorer Olivier Giroud, continuing their historic quest for a double at the World Cup before a quarter-final in six days against the England by Harry Kane.
Pillar of the 2018 title, without a goal scored, Giroud took the Blues to qualification with a historic fifty-second pawn before the break, one more than Thierry Henry.
A full of confidence less than a week before the quarter-final of the Blues against England.
A match that will be live in full in
Europe 1 Sport.
"He has very often been criticized, decried", but he is "very strong in his head", greeted Didier Deschamps.
"It's not an insignificant record, (...) even if it is very likely that there is one who is not far away who can beat it", slipped the coach with a smile, Mbappé by his side.
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"The competition of my dreams"
Decisive passer for Giroud, the PSG phenomenon consolidated the victory in the second half after a discount from Ousmane Dembélé (74th) and on a heavy strike at the entrance to the surface, his special (91st).
"This World Cup is an obsession, it's the competition of my dreams", savored Mbappé, admitting to having built his season for this mission, "whether physically or mentally".
The counters continue to climb at a breakneck pace for Mbappé, already credited with 33 goals for the France team, at 23 and after 63 caps.
In Qatar, the star of Bondynois continues to shine.
He prances in the lead with five goals scored, which places him two lengths ahead of the star Lionel Messi, also qualified in the quarterfinals with Argentina … and whom he may meet later in the tournament, before their reunion. in Paris.
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Return of the leaders
The beautiful tricolor machine, stopped on Wednesday against Tunisia (1-0 defeat) with a team of substitutes, started again against the partners of Wojciech Szczesny, the last impressive rampart so far with Poland.
The France team was adorned with its best clothes with the return of the top names at the kickoff like Antoine Griezmann and Adrien Rabiot, still solid.
There is now only one step left to take, on December 10, to reach the "last four" goal set by French football boss Noël Le Graët for his coach, whose contract runs until the end. of the tournament.
It will be against the English, vice-champions of Europe in title, dominating Sunday against the Senegalese (3-0).
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Lloris-Kane duel
Giroud will have time by then to digest his beautiful evening.
Dismissed for several months from the France team, returned as a substitute and then propelled as a starter after Karim Benzema's package, the 36-year-old "phoenix" rose to the top of the French attackers' guestbook, with a strike uncrossed from the left (44th) celebrated by mimicking the numbers "five" and "two" with his fingers.
"I was expecting it, the sooner the better," reacted the tall bearded man from AC Milan.
"It's especially good for the team because it puts us on the right track for this match, after the triple chance they had".
Before his goal and his big smile, there was indeed a great fear in front of the tricolor cage, a serious warning for the Blues who were not always calm in defense, like vice-captain Raphaël Varane.
The Manchester United defender, who arrived injured in Qatar, nevertheless saved the homeland with a decisive intervention on his line (38th), preceded by a rescue from Theo Hernandez and another, with the knees, from Hugo Lloris in front of Piotr Zielinsky.
The Napoli midfielder was very close to spoiling the goalkeeper's party, who became Lilian Thuram's equal on Sunday with a 142nd selection, a national record.
The 35-year-old captain has caught up with his eldest but he is still running, in Qatar, after his first "clean-sheet" (game without a goal conceded).
He thought he got it by stopping a penalty from Robert Lewandowski, but the referee asked the Barça striker to withdraw it, a new successful attempt this time (90th + 9).