France vs. Uruguay: 5 key matchups

France face Argentina in the quarterfinals of the World Cup on Friday, July 6. Here are five possible matchups that could decide the result.

After winning one of the greatest games in World Cup history, France now face a true dark horse in Uruguay. Didier Deschamps has finally gotten his attacking talents firing, but they now face the best defense in the tournament. It’s a fascinating prospect. With all the talent on display, let’s take a look at the five matchups that’ll decide this cracking tie.

Antoine Griezmann vs. Diego Godin

Antoine Griezmann has been struggling, penalties aside. He hasn’t scored a goal from open play and has had difficulty trying to link up with Olivier Giroud. Diego Godin will also like his chances of shutting down his Atletico Madrid teammate after shutting down Cristiano Ronaldo in his last game.

If Griezmann wants to get the better of Godin, he’ll have to beat him with pace and off-ball movement. Godin is dominant when the ball comes into the box, but if Griezmann gets him on the move, he’ll have a chance of causing some problems. Unlike Portugal, France have a variety of weapons, meaning Godin won’t be able to focus so much of his attention on a single player. Griezmann is smart enough to punish him for any lapses, but hell have to be clinical.

Luis Suarez vs. Samuel Umtiti

From Atletico Madrid teammates to Barcelona teammates. Luis Suarez showed how complete he is as a striker when he delivered a beautiful cross to Edinson Cavani for the opener against Portugal. Having scored two goals this tournament and with his pedigree as arguably the world’s best striker, Suarez will be a marked man.

The player tasked with stopping Uruguay’s number 9 is Samuel Umtiti, who, let’s face it, has been far from his best this tournament. He’s switched off at times, and Suarez will punish any losses in concentration the same way Sergio Aguero did in the round of 16, scoring a free header in the dying moments of his side’s 4-3 loss. The fact France’s defense conceded three goals to Argentina — who scored three goals total during the group stage — will give Deschamps and Oscar Tabarez food for thought.

Suarez’s movement will be key, his ability to drift wide and deliver crosses is fantastic, which makes Uruguay more dangerous in attack. And because Tabarez deploys his side in a classic 4-4-2, Umtiti will have to be aware of his positioning at all times and not be dragged out by his Barcelona buddy. Umtiti is the stronger of the two and will hold the edge battling Suarez in the air, but he’ll have to be focused to ensure he isn’t caught out on the ground by his club teammate.

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Paul Pogba vs. Lucas Torreira

Before undergoing a medical with Arsenal, Lucas Torreira will have to use his tenacious marking and tackling to get Paul Pogba off the ball. Pogba’s excellent range of passing and ability to carry the ball forward was on show against a woeful Argentina midfield. He was able to pick out passes and dance past his opponents with ease. Torreira will have to stop that at all costs.

Pogba is the more physically gifted of the two and may have to use his strength to shield the ball away from Torreira. However, the 22-year-old Uruguayan will put up a fight and will have to use his smarts to get the better of Pogba. Both are set up as defensive midfielders for their respective teams and clubs (Deschamps thanks you, Jose Mourinho), but the Frenchman will push up the pitch to create chances. If he has his way, it could be a bridge too far for Torreira and Uruguay.

N’Golo Kante vs. Rodrigo Bentancur

Rodrigo Bentancur does not get talked about enough. The 21-year-old is eerily similar to Pogba in terms of stature and silky-smooth playing style. His assist for Edinson Cavani’s second goal was a result of pushing up the field and joining Suarez and Cavani in attack. With Uruguay lacking serious wing play, Bentancur has taken an increased role in contributing in the final third. Somewhere, Massimiliano Allegri is smiling, as he’ll surely give him more playing time for Juventus next seasons based off these performances.

Playing against N’Golo Kante will give Bentancur a chance to see what he’s made of against arguably the best defensive midfielder in the world. Once again, these two are positionally set up the same, with Bentancur being more attack-minded. It’s a really intriguing battle to see, one that could shape how the match will go.

Kylian Mbappe vs. Jose Gimenez

These are two of the best young talents in the tournament. The 23-year-old Jose Gimenez has been a rock at the back alongside Godin. A man mountain, his aerial ability is top notch, winning every battle in the air that’s there to be fought. Against France’s attackers, he’ll have to put in another dominating display in order to send his side through.

As for Kylian Mbappe, what more can be said? The 19-year-old ripped Argentina to pieces as he announced himself on the world stage. He’s now become a focal point for France’s attack, and now has an outside shot at the Golden Boot with three goals to his name. He’ll have to work for it against Gimenez, and will most likely use his scary pace as the foundation to scoring his goals, but his finishing is superb, as evidenced by his first goal against Argentina. He’s a bigger threat on the counter, so Gimenez will have to be wary. If he slips up once, he could be another sent home by the brilliance of soccer’s most exciting young talent.