URUGUAY
LIKELY TEAM (4-1-2-1-2): Muslera, Caceres, Godin, Gimenez, Laxalt, Torrerira, Vecino, Nandez, Bentancur, Cavani/Stuani, Suarez
- On the six previous occasions La Celeste reached the last eight at the world finals, only once did they fail to progress
- Suarez, Cavani grew up in same town (Salto) of 100,000 people born 21 days apart but didn't meet each other till they were 20. The pair have a combined 98 international goals.
- Uruguay have just conceded one goal this calendar year
“Uruguay does not have history, instead it has football,” Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano once wrote with withering scorn. Galeano was referring to the amnesia and deflection that has come to define a nation’s relationship to its past. Rather than confront the traumas and despair of the dictatorship era, many Uruguayans have adopted a strategy of emotional repression. Yet this repression of the past in everyday life has produced a countervailing phenomenon in Uruguayans’ dreams. As Galeano’s fellow writer Mario Benedetti wrote in his novel The Pitch, many Uruguayans now live a double life. In the day, they deny the feelings of despair. But at night, these feelings seek expression through fantasies of redemption and glory, of Uruguay once again being a nation that can be proud of itself. The easiest way for a small peace-loving nation to achieve glory? Football of course. For Galeano, this was characteristic of a Uruguay in which the world now worked in reverse: “It used to be that football offered a short distraction from politics, now it is politics that offers a short distraction from football.”
Uruguay has produced many legends since winning the very first World Cup in 1930. Indeed, that line-up featured defender José Nasazzi and striker Héctor Castro, both placed highly amongst La Celeste’s greats. The team that stunned Brazil to capture the World Cup in 1950 catapulted Juan Alberto Schiaffino and Alcides Ghiggia into the realms of immortality. In more recent decades, the country has produced a series of talents that have gone on to play for some of Europe’s top clubs, including Enzo Francescoli, Daniel Fonseca, Rubén Sosa, Diego Forlán and Luis Suárez. One of the greats of Uruguayan football, however, is a former defender with a mediocre playing career who went on to become one of the best managers in the world. Óscar Tabárez, who retired from playing at the age of 32, has lead Uruguay for a fourth time at a World Cup this month. Tabárez, who at age 71 is the oldest manager in Russia, has brought both stability and a strong youth system to the national team’s budding program. He’s also reinvigorated the notion of Garra Charrúa, a unique spirit that highlights the importance of tenacity alongside skill. While stability and youth have helped the Uruguayan program thrive, Garra Charrúa is Tabárez’s secret tactical weapon. Literally meaning “The Claw”, this characteristic brings to the forefront the mentality where Tabárez’s players believe they have greater fury and intensity compared to that of their opponents. Tabárez said. “We have worked hard at youth level and we only have a little over three million inhabitants. When you produce one great player in Uruguay, that’s equal to 20 in Brazil and 10 in Argentina. Therefore, we have had to approach the game differently compared to everyone else.”
Tabárez brings his own ideology into play as a manager. He’s revived their national team, especially during his second stint over the past 12 years, by rebuilding the youth system after concluding the country’s top tier wasn’t competitive enough to produce the quality needed to succeed internationally. He encouraged players to go abroad and win playing time with European clubs. He instilled the value of cultivating players from a young age. Uruguay’s under-20s have done better in recent years – thanks also to a network of scouts Tabárez put in place – giving him a larger player pool to pluck players from. Another big breakthrough came at the 2011 Copa América in Argentina. Uruguay captured the title, soundly defeating Paraguay 3-0 in the final. That was the tournament where Uruguay also won the Fair Play Award. For Tabárez, it was another sign that his work had yielded results, and that their Garra was well-balanced. Revered and respected by his players, Tabárez has encouraged them to read books over playing games on their phones and had a library built in Uruguay’s national training centre just outside Montevideo. Indeed, Tabárez is not only a coach. He’s an academic – a trained history teacher – and aptly nicknamed El Maestro out of both respect and for his time in the classroom. Tabárez’s admiration is for Che Guevara, the communist revolutionary. Che’s motto of “one must toughen oneself without ever losing tenderness” hangs in his home in Montevideo. Tabárez even named his daughter Tania after one of Che’s girlfriends. The utterly fascinating Tabárez has also implemented several learning's from his study of the NBA into his Uruguayan side namely the transition from attack to defence. He wasn’t even supposed to be in Russia to coach the team and was expected to resign two years ago after being diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a neurological disease that weakens the immune system. He struggled to move and required a walker – and sometimes even a wheelchair – to get around. Instead, he persevered, saying nothing would keep him from doing what he loves most. At this World Cup, Tabárez is doing what he loves most. This is a team that values a solid defence, using a creative midfield to move the ball to Edinson Cavani and Suárez. It all seems very simple, but this mix of finesse and physicality makes it a team that is tough to defeat.
There have been fewer better, more consistent than centre half Diego Godín in recent years. Survivor on and off the pitch Diego Godín is a shining example of the effort, hard work and commitment to Uruguay reaching the final eight of this years tournament. As a 4 year old boy in the great Uruguayan outdoors he narrowly escaped a fatal drowning incident. Godín is as much a survivor in a footballing sense as he is in any other aspect of life, having had to work so hard just to make it onto the bottom rung of the professional footballing ladder. In 2003, he was a 17-year-old attacking midfielder and his hopes of making it as a footballer were narrowing. That little boy in the river did not give up, he did not stop when told he was cut by Defensor Sporting, he kept working harder at Cerro, Nacional and Villarreal and he made it at Atlético Madrid. Expected to take the captain's armband at Atleti given club legend Gabi's departure for Qatar, now the full-time captain of country and club Godín is probably his country’s most important player along with Luis Suárez, and has already broken the 100 appearance mark at just 30 years of age. That certainly isn’t bad for a kid who was once worth just 840 pesos, meaning that his registration rights were once cheaper than the most affordable ticket to see him win that 100th cap against Jamaica at the Copa América Centenario. Indeed, both Godín's ability on the ball and his leadership prowess were highlighted when he left his post in defence. Godín surged imperiously into midfield with the ball, both attracting and beating opponents, in the wins over Egypt and Saudi Arabia. It married a willingness to take responsibility with an understanding that Uruguay needed an added dimension against obdurate teams, as Oscar Tabarez's workmanlike midfield didn't always have the invention to inject something different. Godín was in more typical form at the end of the win against Portugal, heading crosses away in classic rearguard action. The red blood he bleeds on the field, which he has done a lot, he bleeds for Atlético, like he did when he played the entire 90 minutes of Los Colchoneros’ famous 4-0 win over Real Madrid in 2015 despite suffering a broken nose in a collision with Sami Khedira inside the first 10 minutes.
Quite simply, Diego Godín is the most complete centre-back in world football; a battler, a fighter, a goal-scorer, a goal-preventer, a leader, a captain and a survivor.
The build-up to Friday's quarter-final clash between France and Uruguay has been dominated by individuals, but it may be the South Americans' almost unbreachable four-man defence which decides the result. While Uruguay sweat on the fitness of striker Edinson Cavani, it should be remembered that La Celeste's progress in Russia has been built upon their defence as much as their A-list attack. Between them, the experienced defence have over 350 international caps between them. They are supremely well-organised and have already served notice that Mbappe will not have the same kind of freedom he enjoyed against Argentina. Their usual deep compact defence will look to keep the distance with the midfield to a minimum and suffocate the French attack. Although in yesteryears the Uruguayan way was more guts, guile and luck than actual method now the class of 2018 can boast the likes of young guns Bentancur, Nandez and Torreira all capable of producing the moments of brilliance associated with deciding such games. Uruguay will take the field against a French team still unsure of themselves comfortable in the knowledge they set their identity years ago and now their nation of just over three million expects. With Óscar Tabárez at the helm and a little bit of Garra Charrúa to boot, anything is possible.
FRANCE
LIKELY TEAM (4-4-2): Lloris, Pavard, Varane, Umtiti, Hernandez, Mbappe, Pogba, Kante,Fekir, Griezmann, Giroud
- France are looking to extend their nine-match unbeaten run against South American sides at the World Cup
- France's squad will have three of the five most expensive players in football, once Kylian Mbappe's 180m euros transfer from Monaco to Paris St-Germain happens (Pogba and Ousmanne Dembele make up the other two)
- Kylian Mbappe last Saturday became the first teenager since Pele to score twice in a World Cup game
Pele, Franz Beckenbauer, Michael Owen, Paul Pogba are the illustrious set of names PSG and French starlet; Kylian Mbappe is set to join following his round of 16 performance against Argentina. The teen sensation is now universally tipped to claim the gong for best young player at this year's tournament in Russia. Not only is he expected to win best young player but the kid from the North-East of Paris is favorite too to claim the Golden Ball. Mbappé was born to play football, and he’d be electric in any era. But he is also the perfect forward for the modern game. Strong, jet-heeled and tireless, he’s a willing presser and a counter-attack unto himself. And with the continued rise of lone strikers who drop deep to facilitate play, teams need fast, intelligent runners to attack space in behind. But Mbappé isn’t just a runner. He combines raw athleticism with Clairefontaine technicality and elite footballing instincts. Like LeBron James in basketball , it’s not the speed alone which sets him apart – it’s the fact he can do things at speed that other players can’t. His take of one of Pogba’s long balls last Saturday was ethereal. Every touch on his 70-yard run to draw the penalty was surgically precise. His signature run is the diagonal sprint in behind, but he’ll often start more centrally to combine with Griezmann and Olivier Giroud. He’s not a bulky, back-to-goal centre-forward right now, though his strength is deceptive. He’s also not a traditional winger. He’s a sort of long-legged, mercurial inside forward who can fracture an opponent’s defensive shape — something like the lovechild of Usain Bolt and Germany’s Thomas Müller. Perhaps the new-age Thierry Henry. And make no mistake, even if he isn’t a pure striker, Mbappé is still a goalscorer. He’s bagged 46 goals in 100 matches over the last two club seasons – an enviable record for any player, let alone a teenaged non-striker. The Bondy native has, to be fair, fluffed some chances in Ligue 1 and the Champions League over the last year, but his poise in front of goal usually belies his youth.
In years to come, we might remember the knockout rounds of the 2018 World Cup as the moment the baton of the world's greatest player was passed onto its next superstar. After a decade of dominance from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, after a thousand debates over which is superior, on Saturday they were united in misery. Messi's Argentina were out. Ronaldo's Portugal were out. But Kylian Mbappe's France were through. Mbappe was already a star at club level, after two excellent seasons with Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain, but ultimately he's very new to international football. A year ago, Mbappe had never scored for his national side. Now, after two years of Didier Deschamps obsessing over whether France should be based around Antoine Griezmann or Paul Pogba, suddenly Mbappe is the main man. Mbappe might become better throughout his career. But there's every chance that this is Mbappe's best opportunity to shine, in peak physical condition for a player in his mould, and with Griezmann and Pogba carrying more pressure and expectation. Before the Argentina match, most conversant football fans would have listed Mbappé among the best young players in the world. It’s time to drop the “young”. A defensive-minded and compact Uruguay will be a much tougher test than a disorganised Argentina, and Mbappe must showcase his intelligence more than his speed: a microcosm of his challenge in the next few years, when his physical traits might decline, and his footballing brain will determine his longevity and legacy.
Didier Deschamps the man rounded upon by French media infitely is the man tasked with ending the French's twenty year wait since 1998 for World Cup success and is unwavering in his commitment to bring back the main prize to the streets and districts of Paris. Deschamps' record of 81 games in charge of France makes him their longest ever serving coach. For a man that does not crave the limelight he is constantly questioned and his position is fervently on the minds of many French fans and media outlets alike .A book on the man from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of France would make a fascinating read. His character is unfathomable. As 15 a year old trainee in the Nantes academy he took it upon himself to inform his then teammate and future French comrade, Marcel Desailly regarding the passing of his older brother in a car crash. He has tasted success at the top winning various league titles at Marseille and Juventus along with a European Cup at the Bianconeri as a player. He enjoyed both European Championship and World Cup success with France. In his current role as French manager he has been caught in amid the national frenzy surrounding the Karim Benzema case. He's guided a country post Paris attacks through a widely celebrated European championships on home soil and now he's in charge of arguably one of the greatest sets of French players with the task of securing a second World Cup triumph, their first since Zidane's pair of headers (in which Deschamps captained) in 1998. If France are to lift the trophy come July 15th Deschamps will become just the third ever man to win the World Cup as player and manager joining Mario Zagallo (Brazil) and Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany).
What Deschamps lacks in tactical acumen he certainly makes up for in preparation. Sleep patterns, nutrition, recovery protocols, all of it is now being micro managed by the French federation. And in perhaps the most extreme example, even the temperature of the water that the French players are drinking is being adjusted depending on that particular day's weather. Gregory Dupont appointed by Deschamps back in March as strength and conditioning coach spearheads these new protocals. On the eve of the French players arrival to their training camp Dupont had prepared a 14 page dossier for each player relaying this information. Back in their camp outside Moscow the players have all been given their own rooms with custom pillows and beds. Contrary to popular belief the French camp is a happy one, Antoine Griezmann is in charge of Fifa 18 torunaments from the comfort of his own room while Paul Pogba is the resident DJ and has already flown in his barber three times during the course of the tournament. Reserve keeper Alphonse Aerola along with Pogba and Griezmann spend their evenings on a basketball hoops arcade game battling among each other as if t were already July 15th in the Luzhniki stadium. Elder statesmen Hugo Lloris and Olivier Giroud spend their time playing bowls with the French boss himself. N'Golo Kante can be caught among Nabil Fekir and Lucas Hernandez playing cards.
A Mature performance will be needed from Paul Pogba in midfield come Friday. He showed glimpses of his undeniable talent in 4-3 win against Argentina. Operating from deep with the license to roam box to box his partnership with N'Golo Kante has been a positive for Didier Deschamps side. Still waiting for his chance to shine on the world stage, last Saturday where Kylian Mbappe caught the world by storm with his performance , is something which Pogba craves but has alluded him for years. Pogba is largely at his best when he simplifies the game. For club he is known to abondon defensive responsibilities and concedes an ever increasing amount of possession with his propensity for tricks and flicks. With France Pogba exerts his influence in a more modest manner keeping the ball moving, simple two touch and pass moves while only switching play when required. In the French camp he has become more of a leader on and off the pitch and France's progression on Friday will largely be down to the Manchester United man fulfilling his responsibilities. Liverpool target, Nabil Fekir is expected to fill in for the suspended Blaise Matuidi on the French left and will give Les Bleus that added spark of creativity with his cultured left foot from the flank and his ability in tight spaces to unlock the packed Uruguayan defence. Antoine Griezmann ('The very Uruguayan Frenchman looking to knock his pals out') will once again play off Olivier Giroud and will hope to profit from the Chelsea man's hold up play. Griezmann is great pals with Atleti and Uruguayan center half duo; Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez, the former in fact being the godfather of Griezmann's daughter. There will be no changes to the French back four while goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris will captain the side. When the going gets tough Deschamps reverts to his tried and tested, and with his first XI he will be hoping to set up a mouthwatering semi final clash with Brazil or neighbors Belgium in St.Petersburg next Tuesday.
WHERE GAME WILL BE WON
Uruguay and France both resemble clear anomaly's of each other. In Uruguay where it is all about the triumph of the collective their team really are worth less than the sum of their parts. France on the other hand for years has always been about the individual with several players in competition with another for national attention. France will hope to stretch Uruguay down the flanks and dominate midfield. What Portugal could produce in sparse quantities against Uruguay the French have in abundance and in teen sensation Kylian Mbappe they have a player who will cause improvised left back, Diego Laxalt no end of problems with his pace and trickery. Given Uruguay are likely to be Cavani-less they therefore are losing a significant amount of their goalscoring potential diminishing the already minute margin for error which precedes such an important game as this.
PREDICTION
As for Uruguay, all eyes will be on Cavani when the teams are announced on Friday afternoon and one suspects that Uruguay’s participation in the competition could hinge on the fitness of one of the world’s best strikers France are the favorites but Uruguay will make it an ugly, defensive game. The French will have to find a way to create chances against the best defence in the tournament and will have to vary how they attack. If they do, then they will have a strong chance to win a tight game. However although, Les Bleus will get more and more frustrated if they don’t find a way as time goes by and may start doubting I expect the "Adopted Uruguayan" Antoine Griezmann to nick it for the French.
France 1 - 0 Uruguay (AET)