History has a funny way of repeating itself in the global sporting landscape, none more so than that in the world game.
With the European Championships descending upon us, the highly fancied host nation France enter the tournament with personnel and an attitude that resembled a winning formula used not so long ago.
It is in the very country the Euros will be held that Les Bleus took out their maiden World Cup victory in 1998. The likes of Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry and Fabien Barthez all led by the man at helm of the current Les Bleus team, Didier Deschamps.
Deschamps, head coach of Les Bleus, has modelled his 2016 Euro squad with the combination of youth and experience, which is duly accompanied with flair and poise much like the squad that took out the World Cup in ’98.
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Twenty-three-year-old midfield lynchpin Paul Pogba has a Zidane-like freakiness to him. His technical ability and intelligence on the ball is among the best in the world. He has a knack of doing what Zidane was able to do from midfield, and that is create something out of nothing. Search ‘Paul Pogba assist vs Cameroon’ on YouTube and you will see why he makes jaws drop like Zidane.
It is players in the mould of Pogba that time and time again lift their countries over the line in such major tournaments. Zidane played an integral role in Les Bleus’ success in ’98 and Pogba looks set to do the same in this tournament.
Ligue 1-winning midfielder Blaise Matuidi and Premier League-winning midfielder N’Golo Kante also add a physical aspect to the heart of midfield. The defensive minded duo possess a hunger for the contest and understand what it takes to win at all costs, much like their coach who captained France to World Cup glory playing as a dynamic defensive midfielder.
The highly touted 20-year-old winger Anthony Martial has drawn comparisons to the one and only Thierry Henry. It is eerie to think that both played for Monaco at the same age, in the same position and then moved to Premier League powerhouses.
Henry was unknown at international level prior to the World Cup of ’98 having only earned three caps. He incredibly went on to lead the goalscoring for France during the tournament with three goals.
Martial, much like his predecessor Henry, is entering his first major tournament with minimal experience at international level (eight caps) but possesses a truckload of offensive armoury that may prove pivotal to France’s success.
The one thing both the ’98 squad and the current squad can also stake claim to is having world class goalkeepers protecting their nets.
French captain Hugo Lloris and former French goalkeeper Fabien Barthez are and were amazing shot-stoppers. Lloris is rated by many as one of the best in the world. Barthez even quoted that “Lloris is one of the best five goal keepers in the world” in 2012.
The ironic thing about Lloris and Barthez as well is that they are also both left footed and left handed.
Talent may be one aspect, but leadership and attitude is another.
Deschamps’ ability to mentally prepare and tactically organise his squad in ’98 after all the racial tension leading into the tournament will be remembered by many a football fan.
Fast forward 18 years and racism is again the issue that threatens to derail the campaign for France. However, Deschamps’ men were able to conjure up a gutsy 3-2 victory against Cameroon in one of their final leadup matches to the Euros, fortifying his standout qualities as a manager.
The French head into this tournament with a dossier of players and leaders that has, in the past, proven successful.
Whether all these comparisons are just coincidence or the stars aligning only time will tell.
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