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Euro 2024: France ready to win after World Cup disappointment

Posted on by angelo
Euro 2024: France ready to win after World Cup disappointment

France midfielder Adrien Rabiot says his side are hungry to win Euro 2024 after coming so close to winning the World Cup two years ago.

Les Bleus lost to Argentina in the final on penalties in Qatar, failing to make it two wins in a row after their 2018 victory.

But life was not easy for Rabiot and his companions.

They finished second in their group behind Austria and needed a penalty shootout to beat Portugal in the recent quarter-final.

Didier Deschamps’ side are yet to score from open play and star Kylian Mbappe is playing with a face mask after breaking his nose earlier in the tournament.

But Rabiot shrugged it off and said that ultimately they are in the semi-finals and two games away from lifting the trophy.

In his press conference, he said: “We have reached the semi-finals of an important competition after facing very good opponents. We are focused on winning as a team.

“The fact that we are in the semi-finals speaks for itself. We did what it took to get here.

“We want to lift the (EURO) trophy after coming so close (at the FIFA World Cup) in 2022.”

Rabiot was suspended against Portugal for accumulating too many yellow cards.

But he will return against Spain and will probably return to the starting eleven.

Spain are arguably the best team at Euro 2024 so far, something the free agent is aware of.

He was full of praise for Luis de la Fuente’s side and praised some of their young players for their brilliant moments on the pitch.

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Rabiot added: “I really wanted us to win (against Portugal) to be able to get back to the semi-finals. I’m happy to be back on the pitch.”

“They (Spain) played the best football of the tournament. They have good wingers and can penetrate into the final third.

“They also know how to score goals. They are a very complete team that has its strengths, but probably also its weaknesses. We are confident and know what we have to do.”

“He is a player who handles pressure very well. He is capable of playing for his club (Barcelona) and in tournaments like this.

“We know what he’s capable of. He’s capable of keeping a cool head. It’ll be up to us to put pressure on him and get him out of his comfort zone.”

Spain and France will face each other on Tuesday evening at 8 p.m. in Munich.

The winner will face England or the Netherlands in the final.