France vs Australia - 22.11 - Prediction of the Match
France has been handed the task of playing Australia to kick off their World Cup defence, having lifted the trophy in fine fashion four years ago. On paper, France has a phenomenal squad of players to choose from, arguably the most well-rounded and star-studded of any nation at the competition.
However, we know from previous international tournaments that the French don’t always click as they should. There have been one or two injuries to overcome and a sense that all is not quite rosy in the camp.
As for Australia, they will be looking to improve upon their finish in the last three World Cups, which was to go out in the group stage. This time around is no different in the sense that they are not expected to progress to the knockout phase, but can at least shape how the rest of the group looks with its results. Below you can find some football predictions and team facts that will be useful for World Cup predictions.
France
France's last six World Cup finishes have been as follows: Champions, Group Stage, Runners-up, Group Stage, Quarter Finals, Champions.
It is very little in between winning the tournament and crashing out early. That doesn’t necessarily bode well for France, considering that they won the competition four years ago.
Kylian Mbappe, one of the stars of his generation, has reportedly been unsettled at his club, PSG, this season. The likes of Raphael Varane and Christopher Nkunku have suffered injuries (the latter heading out of the squad).
Facts
● FIFA Ranking: 4
● Have arguably the best squad at the tournament
● Australia shouldn’t present too many problems
Australia
It is perhaps harsh to label Australia as the whipping boys, but they are the lowest ranked team in Group D and one of the lowest ranked in the tournament.
Unlike in previous tournaments, when they possessed Australian legends like Tim Cahill and Mark Schwarzer, they now have very few individuals who have played at a high level for their club.
This showed in games against better opponents during qualifying. They became the first country ever to win 11 consecutive qualifying games, although that fell apart when they faced some of the bigger nations.
Facts
● FIFA Ranking: 30
● Are looking to claim only their third World Cup win
● Have a blend of youth and experience in their squad
Statistics on France vs Australia Games
Teams have played against each other only five times in history. In three of those matches, France emerged victorious; while one ended in a draw and Australia won one.