France Fancied as Favourites for Fine Tournament Run to Continue at Delayed Euro 2020
France have contested the last two major international football tournament finals, and are looking to go one better than being runners-up at Euro 2016 at the belated next edition of the European Championship in 2020.
As the holders of the World Cup, it isn't all that surprising that Les Bleus are fancied and had little problem qualifying after hosting the last Euros. Getting to the tournament proper was arguably a trickier task in practice than on paper as they tangled with Turkey and overachieving underdogs Iceland in their pool.
The only dropped points en route to Euro 2020 for the French came against the Turks, losing away and settling for a draw in the Stade de France. Veteran striker Olivier Giroud, the focal point of their attack and a foil who occupies defenders so other players have space, led the way with six goals in qualifying.
Various other attackers, including Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann, Kingsley Coman and Wissam Ben Yedder, all chipped in with a couple or more each. Les Bleus boss Didier Deschamps has an embarrassment of riches at his disposal for Euro 2020.
What the national coach has to decide is which forwards and wide players to include in his squad for the finals. Giroud and Griezmann are two of France's top five all-time goalscorers, so fitness permitting they look sure to get spots.
Anthony Martial has a poor record with the senior side, so the Manchester United forward could be vulnerable when it comes to being cut. Les Bleus' midfield, meanwhile, has been more functional but that has clearly worked well.
The French engine room reflects the kind of player that Deschamps was. He sets the side up to get the most out of playmaker Paul Pogba just as the team the manager was in was built around Zinedine Zidane.
That means spots for Premier League players past and present N'Golo Kante, Steven Nzonzi and Moussa Sissoko. France's defensive options are by and large in their mid-20s, meanwhile, with Raphael Varane the senior centre half.
Organising the back four is Les Bleus national captain and Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. He has good options in front of him; so, with this all-round strength-in-depth, it's no wonder that France are considered one of the best football bets you can have on Euro 2020 at 6/1 with 888sport.
Deschamps has the favourites to repeat what he did as a player - win the World Cup in 1998 and Euros in 2000 - with good reason. The challengers to Les Bleus include the usual suspects, heavyweights of European football and neighbours Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and of course England.
These nations, World Cup finalists Croatia and France's Euro 2016 conquerors Portugal, who still have 100-goal plus Cristiano Ronaldo in their ranks, all have shouts of reaching the business end of the tournament. We will find out in 2021 if any other country in Europe can serve it up to Les Bleus, but the bookies still believe that they are the team to beat.