Euro 2012 Group D: France
GROUP D
[Team Jersey Images © Soccerphile]
France
Road to Poland & Ukraine
France's 17-match unbeaten run dating back to September 2010 belies the problems the side had qualifying under new coach Laurent Blanc. The former national team captain chopped and changed his personnel throughout the Euro 2012 qualification campaign - only goalkeeper Hugo Lloris played all 10 qualifiers - and his side had to battle back from a goal behind in the final round match against Bosnia and Herzegovina to force a 1-1 draw and top Group D by a single point. Karim Benzema, Yoann Gourcuff and Florent Malouda top-scored with three goals apiece.
Fixtures
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France Kit 1
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France Kit 2
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France v England 11 June; Donetsk
France v Ukraine 15 June; Donetsk
France v Swedev; 19 June; Kiev
Analysis
Coach Laurent Blanc has begun rebuilding Les Bleus from the chaotic scenes of France's World Cup exit in South Africa, although few commentators outside France are expecting his in-development national team to cause any great shakes in Poland and Ukraine. Twice Euro winners (1984 and 2000), France - and Blanc - remain under pressure to convince the nation that a collection of undeniably talented individuals can gel in major tournaments.
Blanc has at his disposal a gaggle of fine midfielders - Samir Nasri, Florent Malouda, Yann M'Vila (see One to Watch) and, of course, the unpredictable Franck Ribery. Although Nasri and Malouda have not necessarily reached their greatest heights in the Premier League this season owing mainly to a lack of opportunities, Ribery - described recently by Bayern Munich team-mate Bastian Schweinsteiger as is one of the top five footballers in the world - has been in encouraging form in the Bundesliga, with eight goals in 19 league starts.
Key player: Karim Benzema
Real Madrid frontman Karim Benzema will be relied upon as the focal point of France's attacking play. The 24-year-old has been in career-best form for Real, scoring 11 times in 20 league appearances and adding five assists as Madrid have pulled away from champions Barcelona at the top of La Liga. However, Benzema is another player who has yet to justify his huge domestic transfer fee on the international stage.
One to watch: Yann M'Vila
Rennes' Yann M'Vila is a rising star in French football, and that means he has inevitably been linked with a switch away from the Stade de la Route de L'orient despite recently agreeing a deal until 2015. But with Rennes bowing out of the Europa League in the group stages, the chances of M'Vila, a stylish midfielder, leaving in the summer remain high - and his value is certain to soar if he can establish himself in France's midfield in Poland and Ukraine.
Coach: Laurent Blanc
Laurent Blanc helped France to victory at Euro 2000, scoring against Denmark in the group stages, and has now turned his golden touch to managing the national side. His first management position was in charge of Bordeaux, who finished second in Ligue 1 in his first season in charge and won the championship and league cup double a year later. After succeeding Raymond Domenech following France's World Cup flop in South Africa, Blanc lost his first two matches in charge - the friendly defeat to Norway and qualifying loss to Belarus - before guiding his team on a 17-match unbeaten run including friendly victories over England, Brazil, Ukraine and USA.
Record
1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1988 Did not qualify; 1992, 2008 Group stage; 2004 Quarter-final; 1960, 1996 Semi-final; 1984, 2000 Winners
FIFA Ranking
How they qualified for Euro 2012
France won Group D but not without a struggle.
On the sidelines
France's first international match was a 3-3 draw with neighbours Belgium in 1904.
Soccerphile says
If Laurent Blanc get cajole his superstars to pull in the same direction, the quarter-finals might be well within reach.
The Squad
Goalkeepers: Cedric Carrasso (Bordeaux), Hugo Lloris (Lyon), Steve Mandanda (Marseille)
Defenders: Gaël Clichy (Manchester City), Mathieu Debuchy (Lille), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal), Philippe Mexes (Milan), Adil Rami (Valencia), Anthony Reveillere (Lyon)
Midfielders: Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle), Alou Diarra (Marseille), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), Marvin Martin (Sochaux), Blaise Matuidi (Paris St Germain), Yann M'vila (Rennes), Samir Nasri (Manchester City)
Forwards: Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Olivier Giroud (Montpellier), Jeremy Menez (Paris St Germain), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich), Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)