The tactical wizardry of Professor Martinez, then Umtiti. Thanks to the Barcelona defender's breakthrough in a difficult match, France reached the World Cup final, eliminating Belgium, and now seems very close to repeating their 1998 title. The Spanish coach's magic wasn't enough to stop Deschamps's army, which hasn't been brilliant so far in this tournament, but is confident they own the pitch with all the big names out of contention. With Mbappé stymied and Griezmann not quite on form, it was the Cameroonian defender who broke the deadlock. He was the one in this multi-ethnic group, he who never had any doubts about which national team he wanted to wear, so convinced of his potential for France that he didn't even falter when the legendary Roger Milla tried to convince him to choose his parents' country.
EDITORIAL TEAM
Choose the social channel you want to subscribe to