Former Chelsea star Marcel Desailly has made a bold piece of prediction for the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
The biggest and grandest competition in world football will take place in Qatar from November 20 to December 18. Desailly, who himself was a World Cup winner with France in 1998, has tipped Les Bleus to retain their title.
Didier Deschamps’ side won the 2018 edition in Russia but had to deal with an early Round-of-16 exit from the 2020 European Championship.
However, Desailly has tipped France to win the World Cup for the third time in their history. The 53-year-old has claimed that France have the quality to beat the likes of Brazil, Argentina, Holland and Belgium.
Desailly said, as quoted by The Daily Mail:
“I expect that France will brush away the Brazilians, Argentinians, Holland, Belgium. I believe France can win it. I believe France can win it.”
The former Chelsea player has also shed light on why he does not consider England a genuine contender for the World Cup, saying:
“The intensity of the competition does not allow them to express themselves. All of the time there is doubt around your squad. You had a magnificent generation from ’98 onwards, and they did not make it. Why? Probably because of France!”
He went on to add:
“This team has the same grade of player, but it is too early. But look at France. Take them one by one, that first XI, it is just amazing — no other team has that, yet.”
The Frenchman also spoke about one of France’s most important players, Paul Pogba, who left Manchester United for Juventus this summer:
“When you place him as a defensive midfielder, you have to play someone at his side. He has so much talent but he does not like, in the intensity of 90 minutes, to be committed to defence. Sometimes, he is lazy on the intensity to get to the opponent’s feet and get the ball.
“Like N’Golo Kante would do. But Pogba is more than a defensive midfielder. We just don’t know where he will play. We are still looking for his best position.”
Chelsea could have plenty of representations in the World Cup
With the World Cup sandwiched between the domestic seasons this time around, Chelsea could be one of the biggest sufferers.
The Blues are likely to have plenty of players representing their countries in Qatar and Thomas Tuchel could pay the price for that.
The west London club could have as many as five players in the England squad — Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Conor Gallagher, Reece James, and Mason Mount. Trevoh Chalobah also has a decent chance of making it to Gareth Southgate’s squad.
Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly, Ethan Ampadu, Thiago Silva, Marc Cucurella, Cesar Azpilicueta, Jorginho, N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Kai Havertz, and Christian Pulisic will also likely be involved in the competition.