World Cup 2018: Denmark vs France prediction, team news, and preview as both nations battle to top Group C
Les Bleus have already qualified for last 16 and will top the group with a point against Danes
THIS clash has some added needle after Danish boss Age Hareide slagged off the France team last month.
Opposite number Didier Deschamps confirmed his side had keenly noted Hareide's comments that they were “nothing special” and that Paul Pogba only thinks “about his haircuts”.
Hareide, who backtracked on the jibe yesterday, can forget about Les Bleus handing them a draw which would see Denmark qualify and France finish top.
The nation expects
If the Danes are expecting big things in Russia, they are not showing it as only 645 bought tickets for their opener against Peru.
France have arguably their most talented side since they won it 20 years ago but with that billing comes added pressure to deliver.
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Star men
Sadly Paul ‘haircuts’ Pogba is likely to start on the bench with ex-Stoke man Steven Nzonzi set to take his place as Deschamps rings the changes.
A green-looking back four and ex-Palace flop Steve Mandanda in goal may struggle to keep Christian Eriksen quiet.
Weakest links
French defender Presnel Kimpembe has emerged as an exciting talent at PSG this season - but at just 22 and with only two caps to date, this game is a lot to ask.
Denmark have not lost since 2016 and are a tough nut to crack - yet have looked average all over in Russia, barring Eriksen and keeper Kasper Schmeichel.
Likely line ups
Pinning up Hareide’s disparaging comments on the dressing room wall will surely do Deschamps’ team-talk for him.
Probable team: Mandanda; Sidibe, Varane, Kimpembe, Hernandez; Kante, Nzonzi; Dembele, Griezmann, Lemar, Giroud.
Hareide says he cannot put the idea of settling for a draw into his team’s minds as it will lead to “passiveness” - so he will go for the win to prove his assessment of France was correct.
Probable team: Schmeichel; Dalsgaard, Kjaer, Christensen, Stryger Larsen; Schone, Delaney; Cornelius, Eriksen, Braithwaite; Jorgensen.
Best bet
France may have won both their matches but they do not look indestructible.
Denmark drew last time out against Australia but have a match-winner in Christian Eriksen.
Les Bleus' have arguably the best squad at the World Cup and should have enough to at least see out a draw. on a draw and both teams to score looks a decent punt.
Prem Tsar in the making
Thomas Lemar, France. Liverpool bid big for him last year while Arsenal have also been linked before.
The Monaco schemer could set the Premier League alight if anyone fancies stumping up the considerable cash to snare him.
The stat that matters
FIVE - France whizkid Kylian Mbappe will join a quintet of teenagers to have scored multiple World Cup goals if he nets against Denmark.
Pele (six), Edmund Conen (four), Manuel Rosas, Jose Altafini and Michael Owen (all two) are the only players under 20 to manage it.
Fact me
- Denmark and France have met twice in the World Cup, both in the final of game of the group stages – France won 2-1 in 1998 and Denmark won 2-0 in 2002.
- Denmark and France are meeting at a sixth major tournament after Euro 1984, Euro 1992, World Cup 1998, Euro 2000 and World Cup 2002. France went on to win three of those five previous tournaments.
- France have won six of their last seven games against Denmark (L1), with the only defeat in that run coming in the 2002 World Cup.
- Olivier Giroud has scored each of France’s last three goals against the Danes, most recently a brace in a 2-1 victory in October 2015.
- Denmark have lost four of their last five World Cup games against fellow European nations, with the exception in that run being a 2-0 win against France in 2002.
- If Denmark are awarded a penalty in this match, it will be the first time since Group C in 1998 that all four teams have had a penalty in a single World Cup group – that group also contained France and Denmark.
- France have only won all three of their group stage games at a World Cup finals once before, back in 1998 when they went on to win the tournament. Their third win in that edition also came against Denmark.
- Since his debut for the national side in March 2017, only Olivier Giroud (11) has been involved in more goals for France than teenager Kylian Mbappé (10; 5 goals, 5 assists).
- Denmark’s Christian Eriksen has scored 17 goals in his last 20 appearances for the national side.
- France’s Kylian Mbappé could become the first teenager to score in more than one World Cup match since England’s Michael Owen did so in 1998.