[ad_1]
Moscow – Twenty years ago exactly this Thursday, France won its first world star, a few days after eliminating Croatia in the semi-final: the Blues find this opponent Sunday in the World Cup final, Didier Deschamps is still there, but the new generation wants to write its own story.
" Me, I have no star, she is on the shirt but I did not win it, and I want to go and get her ": Paul Pogba, who was five years old in 1998, sums up well the state of mind of the young team of France, respectful of its elders, but ambitious, eager to leave an imprint in turn.
Even if they were young, or not yet born like Kylian Mbappé, all the Blues know the past. The photo had been around the world: Lilian Thuram on his knees, his finger on the mouth, as dazed after registering a double, the only two goals in Blue of his long career (142 selections, national record). Croatia was eliminated 2-1 in the semifinals of the 1998 World Cup.
" Thuram … It has been the subject of discussion for the last 20 years! ", says Zlatko Dalic, current coach of Croatia.
The common points between 1998 and 2018 abound. Lateral Benjamin Pavard made his " Tutu " by scoring a flying volley against Argentina (4-3) that recalls the improbable dubbing of his distant elder. " I never dreamed of scoring a goal like Pavard!" I was not aware of what was going on "Thuram told AFP.
– " They will be there " –
Common points as so many signs of destiny? No, there is a match to win. Pogba, who donned the habit of leader, hammered a speech of combat, to prevent any relaxation: " Of course, the Croats do not have star, they want one of them. very nice course, they want victory, as we ".
In Croatia too, comparisons flourish on both checkered teams, twenty years apart.
Before the tournament, the ex-Croatian international and former Marseille striker Alen Boksic highlighted, with AFP, " a fantastic midfielder, with in particular Modric, a fabulous player, the best Croatian player of all time ". But feared " maybe a bench not long enough or deep enough compared to other big teams: we have 13, 14 players, not 20 ".
Indeed, the 2018 team did not go much, but its executives carried it, like the captain Modric but also Ivan Rakitic or Mario Mandzukic, author of the victorious goal against England (2-1 ap ) in half.
The Croatians remain on three extensions in three rounds of elimination, which makes one more match in ten days, while the French have enjoyed an extra day of rest Wednesday.
" When we play a final, the fatigue goes on, we do not think much about a match, we think we can be world champion, even with the fatigue. they will be present, they will continue to run as on all their matches ", relativised Samuel Umtiti.
– The defeat of 2016 as a lever –
But this Croatian stretch course could count. Still lucky to " DD ", after the package of the Uruguayan Edinson Cavani in quarter? " He has a good star, but we must give him the merit " because " it is he who shaped this team ", nuance Alain Giresse with AFP.
However, luck left Deschamps in the final of Euro-2016, when André-Pierre Gignac found the post and Eder the flaw to give the title to Portugal (1-0 a.p.).
This is precisely a lever for Pogba, who knows " the taste of defeat in the final ", " really not good, very bitter … "
The middle admits that with the 2-0 win against the German world champions in the semi-finals, " we thought that was the final." Against the Portuguese, with their course, we said it was our mistake, now it's not the same, we're all conscious, focused, we do not want to make the same mistake ".
Other spring unveiled, keep in mind the criticism of the first round: " We, we remain as we are, as at the beginning of the competition: + the team where we have doubts, the team that does not do not play together + … We keep these messages we received at the beginning of the competition, it will be our strength during the final.We are not the favorite, we did nothing ". Any resemblance to a summer 1998 following a spring of criticism on the team of Aimé Jacquet …
Source link
