France

There is no doubt that the French love their football. And they're pretty damn good at it. 

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The French national team was established in 1904, coinciding with the creation of FIFA, and ultimately the birth of organised international football. They would feature in the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930 held in Uruguay - Lucien Laurent scored the first goal in World Cup history!

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Since then the European giants have won two FIFA World Cups, two UEFA Euro trophies, and gold at the 1984 Olympic Games. 

 

Along with a host of runners up and third place finishes this is certainly not a bad record.

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Despite their historic success, this era of French ballers has been hailed a golden generation, standing out from much of the rest. But why is this, and what does it mean for their chances at the Euros?

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The obvious answer is the electrifying dynamo from the suburbs of Paris. 

 

Kylian Mbappé. 

 

Explosive, clinical, untouchable.

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Exceeding all expectations, he has truly lived up to the comparisons with the great Thierry Henry, having honed his craft on the same streets. He's the fastest player on any pitch, drives with the ball welded to his boot, and can score any way you like - left or right, blasted or placed, the keeper is picking the ball out the back of the net all the same. 

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Led by their talisman, the greatest strength of this modern French side lies in their depth, which is by all accounts elite.

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In each position they boast three or more of the world's top players - a testament to the investment and nurturing of homegrown talent. When the likes of Lucas Hernández, N'Golo Kanté, and Adrien Rabbit are being talked about as third or fourth options, you know you have something special.

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So where does this leave France looking to this summer's competition?

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Their depth will prove a massive advantage, creating an immunity to injury or form. Mbappé will be back and better than ever, desperate to right the wrongs of the World Cup where his all-time performance was somehow not enough to win it all. Deschamps too will be desperate to produce a better performance than their lacklustre campaign in the 2020 Euro competition.

 

As a result, it's hard to look past France as the favourites for the competition. They're second in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings, the highest ranked European team. They have the depth, the star power, and the vengeful motivation that losing in the finals can produce.

 

England will certainly think they can stand in the way; the German hosts cannot be overlooked; reigning champions Italy will need to perform having missed out on qualification to the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

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Nevertheless, if you like a safe bet, France is as secure as it gets.

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