FRANCE
How did they get here?
The defending champions recovered from a slow start in qualifying – winning two of their first five games – to top their group ahead of Ukraine, Finland, and Bosnia. Ireland would welcome an equally sluggish start in Euro 2024 qualifying next year.
Who is their manager?
Didier Deschamps is still in charge, having led France to the World Cup in Russia four (and a half) years ago. There is persistent speculation that this may be his last stand, with Zinedine Zidane waiting in the wings. Not only is Deschamps the only manager at this World Cup to have won the trophy before, he is also the only one of the 32 to have won the competition as a player, too.
How do they play?
Deschamps has recently switched to a back three, a 3-4-1-2 that allows him play as many of his outstanding centre-backs as possible while cramming three of his world-class strikers into the same team. Perhaps the balance isn’t quite right, judging by their poor Euros campaign and an underwhelming Nations League in which they flirted with relegation. Deschamps is a conservative manager and there is a lingering sense this more attacking approach since winning the World Cup in 2018 doesn’t fully suit him. It’s a similar issue to the one faced by Gareth Southgate: a naturally defensive coach whose squad is better suited to attacking.
So there: some straws at which the rest of the world can clutch. If Benzema isn’t fit, Deschamps may revert to a kind of 4-4-2.
Who is their key player?
Ordinarily you would say Mbappe, but their sheer amount of attacking talent mitigates somewhat against any possible underperformance, so we’ll say Aurélien Tchouaméni. The 22-year-old said no to Liverpool and plumped instead for Real Madrid in the summer, where he has been entrusted as Casemiro’s successor. He will likely be paired by one of Mateo Guendouzi, Adrien Rabiot, or Eduardo Camavinga in a French midfield depleted by injury. That’s the part of the team around which there are question marks, so if Tchouaméni can perform and make light of the N’Golo Kante’s absence, France may be on their way.
Who is their potential breakout star?
Tchouaméni is one – and probably the most likely – candidate, but for the sake of variation let’s say left wing-back Theo Hernandez. A guy who has played for Real Madrid and now AC Milan can hardly be said to be still waiting for his chance to shine, but Hernandez is often omitted in conversations around the best attacking full-backs in the world. This World Cup may be his platform to show he belongs in exactly that company.
Have they any injury concerns?
If any squad on the planet can absorb a few injuries it’s France, but their concern is how centralised those injuries have been. They will go to Qatar without their first-choice midfield, as N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba are injured. Raphael Varane has been included in the squad though doubts still surround his fitness, while there are also midler concerns about his fellow defender Presnel Kimpembe.
What are their realistic ambitions?
There is just one version of success for France, and that’s becoming the first side to successfully defend the World Cup since Brazil did so in 1962. They have the individual talent to do it, but there are concerns about the midfield and also a vague feeling that something isn’t right with the balance of the team since it was changed after the World Cup to incorporate Benzema. Plus, there is that further intangible sense of Frenchness: historically they follow a pattern of making a final and then blowing up on the launchpad four years later. Let’s see if Deschamps can channel the absurd talent at his disposal to buck that trend.
What should I say if I draw them in the office sweepstake?
‘The individual quality in the French squad is ridiculous, but the midfield may be too depleted to truly contend.’
AUSTRALIA
How did they get here?
Having topped their group in the first phase of Asian qualifying with the best record across the board, Australia made hard work of progress from there. They finished a distant third in the second phase behind Saudi Arabia and Japan – just a point clear of Oman – but then beat the UAE and then Peru on penalties on the winding, play-off path.
Who is their manager?
Graham Arnold has been an assistant, a caretaker, and an U23 manager with the Socceroos, so he finally got his chance to take sole, permanent charge in 2019. As a player, in 1997 he came mightily close to ending Australia’s long World Cup absence but suffered a narrow, heartbreaking play-off loss. When Australia finally did qualify in 2006 under Guus Hiddink, he went along as assistant. His caretaker stint afterwards didn’t work out and Arnold has reflected on it as his greatest football education, saying he was “acting”, almost trying to impersonate Hiddink rather than put his own stamp on things. To that end he has worked to build a clear identity this time around, and he spoke during qualifying of how “Aussie DNA is our best chance”, which has echoes of that other life philosophy, Put em Under Pressure.
How do they play?
Arnold usually sets Australia up in a 4-2-3-1, and will play up to exactly that “Aussie DNA” of leaving everything on the field. They will rely on set-piece threat: their nine goals from corners in qualifying was more than twice the next-highest on that list. They will be awkward opponents, but their lack of obvious attacking quality may not make them dangerous.
Who is their key player?
No.10 Ajdin Hrustic is the key creator in the Australia team, and you may remember him from last season’s Europa League final, in which he scored a penalty for Eintracht Frankfurt in the shootout win over Rangers. But his participation is in doubt having picked up an ankle ligament issue while playing for his new club, Verona. Not all’s fair in Verona, etc etc.
Who might be their breakout star of this World Cup?
18-year-old Garang Kuol was a shock inclusion in the World Cup squad, having yet to even start a senior league game for Central Coast Mariners. His appearances off the bench haven’t just caught the eye of his national team manager, mind, as he will join Newcastle United in January. Kuol made his senior debut as a substitute in a friendly win over New Zealand in September, and while Arnold says he is unlikely to start games, he can be a breakout star from the bench.
Have they any injury concerns?
Hrustic is the biggest, though he has been named in the squad and made a tentative return for Verona last weekend. There is also worry about Hearts defender Harry Souttar, who scored a remarkable five goals in qualifying.
What are their realistic ambitions?
Getting out of the group would be a triumph for the Socceroos, but considering the strength of their European opponents, aiming for third ahead of Tunisia is a more realistic target.
What should I say if I draw them in the office sweepstake?
‘Playing to a gritty DNA while worrying about a lack of regular game-time for the few players they have operating in Europe’s top leagues makes Australia the closest equivalent to Ireland at this World Cup. Heck, they are even playing Denmark.’
DENMARK
How did they get here?
Denmark’s qualification campaign was sensational, topping an admittedly favourable group with the joint-best record in Europe. They won all of their first nine games, before losing to Scotland at Hampden Park in their final fixture.
Who is their manager?
Age Hareide was supposed to lead Denmark until the end of the Euros campaign, until the pandemic forced the Danes into some McCarthy/Kenny style compromise. Kasper Hjulmand took over, promising a more expansive style. He delivered, guiding Denmark through the trauma of Christian Eriksen’s collapse and to the semi-finals of the Euros.
How do they play?
They are pretty flexible under Hjulmand, swapping between 4-3-3 against weaker opponents and 3-4-1-2 against the big boys. Christian Eriksen plays further forward in the latter system than he has lately been stationed for Manchester United.
Who is their key player?
That Christian Eriksen is playing at all is utterly remarkable, and is a testament first to everyone who responded when he collapsed during the Euros and then to his own resilience. That he remains as key to Denmark as ever before adds another layer of amazing to his story.
Who might be their breakout star of this World Cup?
Mikkel Damsgaard announced himself at the Euros but has struggled to maintain the same level of form at club level, and is now in the Premier League at Brentford. Striker Jonas Wind is just 23 and has just one Bundesliga goal to his name this season for Wolfsburg, but he may find himself promoted to starting rank at the World Cup with none of their strikers in particularly good form.
Have they any injury concerns?
There was a brief panic when defender Andreas Christensen hobbled out of Barcelona’s win over Osasuna last week, but he is expected to be fine.
What are their realistic ambitions?
Denmark should qualify from the group. France are daunting on paper but the Danes beat them home and away in the Nations League. Should the progress in second place, Argentina will probably lie in wait in the last-16, but any other opponent should give them confidence of making the quarter-finals. That would match their best-ever showing at a World Cup, the quarter-final loss to Brazil in 1998.
What should I say if I draw them in the office sweepstake?
‘Denmark have transformed from the doughty, uninspiring lads who used to play us every fortnight a couple of years ago, and, okay, I’ll say it: they could be Dark Horses.’
TUNISIA
How did they get here?
Having narrowly topped their group in the initial phase, Tunisia qualified by edging Mali 1-0 across their two-legged play-off.
Who is their manager?
Tuinisian native Jalel Kadri bounced around the domestic league and the Gulf along with serving two stints as assistant before becoming national team manager in January of this year. First he took temporary charge of the AFCON last-16 win over Nigeria after his boss got Covid, and he got the job full-time after the tournament. He isn’t exactly a man for the long-term: the Tunisian gig is his 24th different coaching job in 21 years.
How do they play?
It’s likely to be a 4-5-1 of, eh, tactical football. Defending is their strong point, and went seven games without conceding a goal prior to a 5-1 friendly tonking at Brazil’s hands. The question remains whether can score enough to trouble the other sides in the group. Their issue in qualifying was less creating chances, however, than it was taking them.
Who is their key player?
Who knew that Sunderland had a goal machine on their hands with Wahbi Khazri? An attacking midfielder, Khazri has 24 goals in 71 international appearances and will bear much of the weight of Tunisia’s attack.
Who might be their breakout star of this World Cup?
Tunisia have made a conscious effort to get as many players of dual nationality on board as they can, and French-born defensive midfielder Aïssa Laïdouni may prove to be the canniest of those recruits. He is currently playing with Ferencvaros of Hungary, and you may remember him from their comfortable Europa League victory over Shamrock Rovers earlier this year, in which Laidouni started both legs.
Have they any injury concerns?
Captain Youssef Msakni missed the 2018 World Cup with injury and, unfortunately, is battling to shake off another ahead of the 2022 edition.
What are their realistic ambitions?
Tunisia have never been beyond the group phase and manager Kadri has said he will resign if they don’t make it to the knockout phase. He may well have to do that, although judging by his average tenure in a job, perhaps he feels he has already overstayed his welcome.
What should I say if I draw them in the office sweepstake?
‘Tunisia are a top-class goalscorer away from being a contender to qualify for the knockout stages.’
Group D Fixtures
Tuesday 22 November
- Denmark vs Tunisia; Education City Stadium; kick-off 1pm
- France vs Australia; Al Janoub Stadium; kick-off 7pm
Saturday 26 November
- Tunisia vs Australia; Al Janoub Stadium; kick-off 10am
- France vs Denmark; Stadium 974; kick-off 4pm
Wednesday 30 November
- Australia vs Denmark; Al Janoub Stadium; kick-off 3pm
- Tunisia vs France; Education City Stadium; kick-off 3pm
Read all of our group previews here.
For the latest news coverage on the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022, see here >
