France
Group:
D
First Match:
November 23, 2022, 3 AM SGT
Stadium:
Al Janoub Stadium
With a 6-point lead over Ukraine, the reigning World Cup champions cruised through Group F. However, they did falter slightly by drawing twice on home turf.
They only won one of their four games in the European Championships, drew with Hungary, and were eliminated by Switzerland in the round of 16 on penalties after going into extra time despite having the lead of 2 goals with 15 minutes left.
After beating Spain and capturing the Nations League in the summer of 2021, they have struggled to maintain consistency, earning just two points in their first four matches of the current season. Which French team actually shows up this winter is a mystery.
Key Player: Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint Germain)
Even though he is one of many stars for his national team, the focus remains on the 23-year-old who has been on the playing field for more than five years. He has been the top scorer in Ligue 1 for the previous four seasons and has won the last five French league titles, including one with Monaco.
Already on the cusp of entering the top 10 all-time scorers for his country, he will be hoping to improve upon the 3 goals he netted as a member of the Dream Team at the previous World Cup, which was held four years ago.