Euro 2012 team guide: Group D – France
Everything you need to know about Group D competitors France
COACH: Laurent Blanc
WORLD RANKING: 16
QUALIFIED: Group D winners
BEST EURO FINISH: Winners (1984, 2000)
FORMATION: 4-2-3-1
PLAYING STYLE: Attacking
STRONGEST LINE-UP:
Lloris; Debuchy, Mexes, Rami, Clichy; M’Vila, Cabaye; Valbuena, Nasri, Ribery; Benzema
STRENGTHS: The midfield is packed with quality and it’s this which helps them switch from defence to attack in an instant.
WEAKNESSES: An injury to Benzema, or if he has a loss of form, would be a disaster for France because he’s by far their best striker.
STAR PLAYER:
Karim Benzema
Position: Striker
Age: 24
Club: Real Madrid
After being surprisingly axed from the France World Cup squad, the powerful goal-machine is desperate to show he’s Europe’s best striker.
THE CAPTAIN:
Hugo Lloris
The French skipper is still only 25 but one of the world’s best keepers. In fact, some of the saves he pulls off defy gravity – he’s a shot-stopping expert.
FRANCE FACTS:
Capital: Paris
Population: 65 million
Official language: French
Best ever player: Michel Platini
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