The French national team will face Norway in New York next Friday at 9pm, seeking to break a longstanding pattern of underperformance in the final group stage match of the World Cup. Since 2006, France has failed to win their third group game in the tournament, a streak that has become something of an anomaly for the national side.
The last time France secured a victory in a third group stage match was against Togo in the 2006 World Cup in Germany. After a slow start to the tournament with draws against Switzerland and South Korea, Les Bleus defeated Togo 2-0 to ensure qualification and ultimately reach the final. Since then, the results have been consistently disappointing: a 2-1 defeat to South Africa in 2010, a 0-0 draw with Ecuador in 2014, a 0-0 draw against Denmark in 2018, and a 1-0 loss to Tunisia in 2022.
This pattern has often coincided with France utilizing their reserve players in the final group game, once the qualification stage is assured. However, the results suggest a deeper issue than simply squad rotation. The team’s inability to close out the group stage with a win has consistently hampered momentum heading into the knockout rounds.
Didier Deschamps’s side will be looking to avoid another setback against Norway. Recent commentary has highlighted the importance of players like Manu Koné in the French squad, specifically praising his performance in counter-pressing situations. The match against Norway will be overseen by an English referee. The outcome of the match will determine the winner of Group I, and potentially influence France’s path through the rest of the tournament, with some debate surrounding whether finishing second in the group could be strategically advantageous.
