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Five Reasons Why France Can Be Positive For Euro 2016

By on July 6, 2014

Four years on from possibly their worst-ever World Cup, France can look back at their performance in Brazil in favor. An exit to Germany may not have been the perfect end for France but there is certainly reason for optimism. Here are five reasons why France can be positive for Euro 2016:

Karim Benzema is ready to be the main man

With six goals in seven games in 2014 including three at the World Cup, Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema has proved he can deal with being France’s star player. In the absence of Franck Ribery, the 26-year-old lead the line efficiently and settled in well to his first World Cup. Arguably he didn’t perform as he well as he could during the Quarterfinal with Germany but he has done enough to suggest he can perform at Euro 2016.

The young players will be more mature

For such a youthful squad, an exit at the Quarter Final stage seemed about right for France. Antoine Griezmann, Paul Pogba and Raphael Varane have all exited the World Cup with some valuable experience as all three contributed majorly to France’s progression to the Quarterfinal stage. In two years time they will be more well-rounded footballers, particularly Pogba who should be one of the leading midfielders in Europe by then.

Furthermore, if the players from their Under-20 World Cup winning can graduate to the first team that will mark another reason to be cheerful. The experience of winning the tournament could be essential when comes to the latter rounds of the Euros.

The country is behind the team

When they seemed down and out of the World Cup after a 2-0 first leg playoff defeat to Ukraine, the French were not backing their team to even qualify for the summer’s event. But after a plucky performance saw them qualifying for the tournament, the nation has been firmly behind their side. Convincing wins over Honduras and Switzerland paved the way further for French national team to become symbol of patriotism in the nation once again. By the time the Euro’s come along, the patriotic feeling behind the national team could be soaring to the heights they hit in 1998.

Didier Deschamps is finally the right man

Despite guiding France to the World Cup Final in 2006, Raymond Domenech was never really the perfect man for the job as coach of France. The same goes for Laurent Blanc, who despite qualifying for Euro 2012 in style, failed to deliver when it actually mattered at an international tournament. Deschamps has proved he is the right man to motivate the side and make the key decisions with no consideration for reputations.

People may have said Deschamps would regret not bringing Samir Nasri to Brazil, but his absence meant a bigger role for Mathieu Valbuena, who was France’s best player during the tournament. It also allowed Yohan Cabaye and Paul Pogba to play in the middle of the park together, a partnership which has flourished under Deschamps. If France stick with their 1998 captain, they should be among the favorites for the crown when the Euros hits their home shores.

They have belief

As simple as it sounds, this year’s World Cup experience has proven France can be among the elite of football. Even when they weren’t playing their best, they gave Germany a stern test in their Quarterfinal. Perhaps if they had hit top gear, it may have been a different story at the Maracana.

Still, it has been enough to give them belief going into Euro 2016. With the French crowd behind them and a squad full of players in their prime- it will surely be France’s time to lift their first European Championship in 16 years.

About James Cartwright

Sports Journalism student - Long suffering Boro and Steelers fan.