Izuchukwu Okosi
France came from a goal down to score three goals and defeat Australia 4-1 in their first match of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday night.
Barring Brazil in 2006, every World Cup winner since 1998 has crashed out in the group stages.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelIt’s a trend that began with France in 2002 when Senegal defeated them 1-0 in Japan but Les Bleus were keen to ensure that it did not continue in 2022.
Their injury list would have affected many other countries in the World Cup: Kante, Pogba, Benzema, Nkunku, Varane and now Lucas Hernandez are on the injusy list.
France are also stalked by a curious omen: The last four European defenders of the World Cup had gone out of the group stage, a trend France themselves started in 2002.
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For 18 minutes, it seemed the jinx might just align, as France toiled and fell behind to Craig Goodwin’s opening goal.
Then, Kylian Mbappe caught fire, either scoring or making possible the goals France scored after Adrien Rabiot hauled them level.
Lloris wore the armband but Mbappe was the undoubted leader for France in the pitch.
The intensity and drive in his game set the tone for the rest of the team. Right until the final whistle, he didn’t stop running. It was an elite mentality.
There was no hat-trick for Giroud as he was subbed off for Marcus Thuram. Many had thought that, with the injury to influential Ballon D’Or winner Karim Benzema, the French would struggle, but Giroud lit up the game.
Indeed, the AC Milan striker made history by becoming the joint highest goal scorer for France, alongside Thierry Henry, with his 41st goal for Les Blues.
Jules Kounde also came on for Benjamin Pavard towards the end of the game as the injuries continued to mount for France who lost Theo Hernandez in the game and was substituted by his brother Leo Hernandez.
The game was again played out to the disconcerting sight of swathes of empty seats at the Al Janoub Stadium.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
