France vs. Croatia: Pogba and players who have already been champions of a U-20 World Cup | World

Being the champion of a World Cup is the dream of most football players. And four Frenchmen can repeat the dish, but this time, from a World Cup. Paul Pogba Florian Thauvin, Samuel Umtiti and Alphonse Areola aspire to win a new gold medal, but they did so some time ago.

Five years ago, Paul Pogba and Samuel Umtiti have already won the World Cup Final … it was the U-20 tournament of 2013 which was played in Turkey with the so-called generation of 1993, which gave good players to the Blues.

From this victory to penalties against Uruguay (0-0, 4-1 in penalty), in match in Istanbul on July 13, 2013, there are four players who are part of the team. team of 23 who will play the final of the absolute World next Sunday against Croatia : midfielder Pogba, defender Umtiti, substitute Florian Thauvin and third goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.

It was the first time that France qualified for the final of a U-20 World Cup. For Uruguay, six players (José María Giménez, Diego Laxalt, Gastón Silva, Guillermo Varela, Rodrigo Bentancour and Giorgian de Arrascaeta) were present in Russia-2018, where the Celeste was eliminated in this tournament. in the quarter-finals … for France

This U-20 World Cup in Turkey, little known to the general public, laid the foundation for the current selection of Blue, as Thauvin admitted before To arrive in Russia: a wonderful memory for us, we talk often, we will remember all our lives, every time we see each other, good memories come to the surface. "

In addition to the final, another game marked these young French, that of the round of 16 against Turkey before his public." It was very, very hot Gazantiep, it was very hot outside, but also on the field, "recalls coach Pierre Mankowski for AFP.

" At home, they were among the favorites, but when beat them by several goals difference (4-1) and at the end of the match the Turks were applauding, this team really represented something, "he says.