Its seeded status protected it from unpleasant surprises but the France team were relatively spoiled by the draw for the qualifying groups for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Ukraine, Finland, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kazakhstan do not seem insurmountable adversaries. Overview of the opponents that the Blues will face between March and November 2021 in Group D.
Ukraine (24th world)
We must not rely on the last meeting between the Blues and Ukraine. On October 7, the world champions crushed the team led by Andreï Chevtchenko (7-1), diminished by the absence of 14 players, injured or positive for Covid-19. The 24th world team in the Fifa rankings is much better than that observed on the lawn of the Stade de France. Ukraine thus qualified for Euro 2020 by finishing undefeated and at the top of its group ahead of Portugal, European title holder, against which the Ukrainian team took four points (0-0; 2-1).
To try to get a second participation in the World Cup after their good run in 2006 in Germany (quarter-final lost against Italy, future champion), Ukraine will again rely on a group without stars, whose backbone is made up of players playing for Shakhtar Donetsk.
Finland (54th)
It is the stone of the year in the crampons of the Blues. The surprise defeat against Finland on November 11 (0-2) in a friendly had quite annoyed Didier Deschamps who had for the occasion left many executives at rest. Like the Finns elsewhere.
Enough to offer a little booster when it comes to challenging a nation, the 54th in the Fifa rankings, which last year won its qualification for Euro 2020. A first international competition for this small country of 5 million. inhabitants and a reward for the work of the breeder Markku Kanerva, the man who transformed the “Owls Grand Dukes” (the nickname of the selection) since his arrival in 2016. He relies in particular on captain Tim Sparv (Larissa), goalkeeper Lukáš Hrádecký (Bayer Leverkusen) and striker Teemu Pukki (Norwich).
Bosnia-Herzegovina (55th)
Led by Miralem Pjanic (98 caps), whom Raymond Domenech had probed to join the Blues, Bosnia is going through a complicated period. The 55th world nation has completely missed its qualifiers for Euro 2020.
Placed in an affordable group (Italy, Finland, Greece, Armenia and Liechtenstein), the partners of Edin Dzeko (AS Roma) finished 4th with only four successes, including two against modest Liechtenstein. Since its creation in 1992, the Bosnian team has qualified only once for the final phase of an international competition.
It was during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where the Bosnians did not pass the first round. They will try to reverse the trend against the French they have never beaten in four official matches (two wins, two draws).
Kazakhstan (122e)
He is the little Thumb of the group and a great unknown for the France team. The Blues will indeed cross the road of Kazakhstan for the first time in their history. An 81st opponent in the history of French football which on paper does not really cause much fear with its 122nd place in the Fifa ranking.
To their credit, the Kazakhs do not have any qualification for a major tournament and their last reference is a fourth place in their group of third division of the League of Nations. The entire selection is currently playing in the local championship. Managing a trip to the borders of Asia, 5,000 km from France, will nevertheless be one of the factors to be taken into account by the staff of the France team.
