France head to Euro 2024 as one of many favourites as Didier Deschamps’ aspect look to elevate the Henri Delaunay Cup for a record-equaling third time.
This present French aspect is among the most profitable worldwide sides of the present period, having gained the World Cup in 2018 and misplaced out within the closing on penalties 4 years later.
By way of legendary French sides, success in Germany would see the present crop talked about in the identical reverent phrases of the Euro 84 winners and the 1998 World Cup winners, who would go on to win Euro 2000.
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Kylian Mbappe is about to be the talisman for Les Bleus over the subsequent 4 weeks, however even he should be at his best if he’s to match the achievements of France legend Michel Platini, whose 9 targets in 5 video games at Euro 84 stays a match file, 40 years on.
Platini netted in each sport on the match, together with hat-tricks in group stage wins over Belgium and Yugoslavia, whereas he opened the scoring within the 2-0 win over Spain within the closing and appears again at his achievements fondly.
“How did I really feel after scoring 9 targets in 5 video games?” he asks FourFourTwo. “I used to be drained! However I didn’t play soccer simply to attain targets; I performed soccer to win video games.
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“In fact, if I might rating to assist the workforce win, then I’d do it, however I wasn’t obsessed by that. If I might go the ball to a buddy slightly than rating, it was the identical factor.”
Platini’s file has gone untouched for 4 a long time and Cristiano Ronaldo is the one participant within the match’s historical past to attain have extra European Championship targets to his title, one thing not misplaced on the 68-year-old.
“I used to be by no means into statistics,” he continues. “I’m nonetheless the second-highest scorer within the historical past of the European Championship, having performed in just one match! Cristiano Ronaldo has the file, after taking part in in 5. And it’s a must to do not forget that I used to be a midfielder – I needed to rating from additional away!”
France’s Euro 2024 tilt will get underway on Monday night with a Group D conflict in opposition to Austria, earlier than matches in opposition to the Netherlands and Poland.
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