Match Prediction: France vs Poland UEFA European Championship 2024
France goes into this match as one of the favourites for the entire tournament. The French boast a star-studded squad with the perfect blend of youth and experience. With several of the best players in the world plying their trade throughout the elite European clubs, facing this French team can be very intimidating.
Poland, on the other hand, should bring a determined and resilient team to the tournament. With a solid defensive lineup and Robert Lewandowski's lethal finishing, Poland poses a significant threat to any opponent.
How did they qualify?
To put these two teams' qualifying campaigns into the most straightforward context possible, one team fell over the line while the other qualified with the greatest of ease. Poland finished third in their group and had to rely on beating Wales to qualify for the tournament. Meanwhile, France won seven and drew one, finishing nine points above third-placed Greece.
Poland would have been favourites to win their group, so having to qualify through the playoffs was not part of their plans, and playing so underwhelmingly in those playoffs would have also been disappointing. They were fortunate that the teams they played against had little firepower.
Team Analysis
The French will play as they have for the past decade. They don't tend to outplay too many teams with possession-based football, but they always give off an extreme air of confidence, suggesting quite rightly that they should win any game of football they play.
They know that it will be an easy win for them if they can keep Poland's attacking threat non-existent. The Polish have players that can cause this French team issues, but we predict that chances will be few and far between.
Players to watch
This French team is full of talent. If they played their second team, they would still compete very well, no doubt, but there is one man who grabs the media's attention every time the French play.
- Kylian Mbappe: The last time this man graced a major national tournament, he etched his name in history with a hat trick in a World Cup final. With a World Cup medal already in his career, the French side pins their hopes on this superstar to lead them again to glory.
This Polish side has been underwhelmed recently. Once again, their chances of going far in this tournament appear heavily pinned on one player.
- Robert Lewandoski: The Polish have relied on one man for over a decade now, and this man is Robert Lewandoski. The prolific goalscorer spent most of his playing days in the Bundesliga, but a late switch to Barcelona has also added to his legend. He is ageing and perhaps not as good as he once was, but he still poses a significant threat.
Prediction:
Judging by recent form, it is difficult to look past France in this game. They have the better players and will most likely dominate this Polish side. For Poland to walk away with a positive result, they must be resolute in defence and hope to rely on a piece of individual brilliance.