Why France Is The Clear Favorite

The best player in the tournament has arguably been Mbappe. In six matches, he has tallied eight goals and three assists. He is tied with Lionel Messi for the most goals in the tournament and is eyeing his second straight Golden Boot. 

Mbappe’s World Cup career as a whole is cartoonish. He has scored 20 goals in 20 matches. Messi, meanwhile, has scored 21 goals in 31 total WC matches, which is considered a strong pace. For Mbappe to score every time he’s taken the field is unheard of. 

The 27-year-old has also scored 12 goals in 11 knockout stage matches. Mbappe’s level of play increases as the stakes get higher. His excellence is key for France being on the doorstep of its third straight final. 

The Defense Is Underrated

People tend to focus on France’s attack. The duo of Mbappe and Ousmane Dembélé has scored 13 goals, with Michael Olise setting things up along the way. It’s, of course, hard not to ignore the offense. 

What people should note, though, is the defense. In this tournament, the French team has allowed just two goals. The first came in the opening match, and the second was against Norway’s backups in the third group-stage match. 

When the opponents have France’s full attention, it’s hard to put the ball past it. The French shut down a Moroccan team that logged three goals against Canada in the Round of 16. 

In the tournament as a whole, France has outscored their opponents 16-2. Of the seven teams remaining in the tournament, that is the second fewest goals allowed, and the most goals scored.

End Of My France Rant

The main point is this: France can win any sort of game. The French can win an ugly 1-0 game, and they can win a shootout. Their biggest contemporaries at the moment only excel at one side of the ball. 

A lot of fans and pundits had Spain winning it all. There are a lot of reasons to believe in the Spanish, and it begins with their defense, as they haven’t conceded a goal. Offensively, though, they haven’t been as sharp as expected. 

Spain has just scored nine goals total in five games. It’s not a bad mark but not an elite number either. Their leader, Lamine Yamal, has dealt with a hamstring injury and has only scored one goal tin he entire tournament. 

The other contender is Argentina. It, of course, will be France’s biggest foe at the moment because they halted their chance at back-to-back cups. Messi, once again, has been great and has kept up with Mbappe’s performance even at the age of 39. 

Argentina’s defense, though, has not been impressive. In the tournament as a whole, the Argentinians have conceded five goals in five games, and four of them have come in the knockout round. Two of them were conceded to Cape Verde and the other two to Egypt. 

The Argentine squad has barely made it past weak competition. That is why France is the favorite. The French don’t have a gaping hole anywhere on the team. Their balance between the offensive attack and defensive discipline allows them to dictate any type of game. 

France now awaits either Spain or Belgium in the semifinals. Will the French make it to their third straight World Cup Final? If so, who will make it out on the other side?