For France, July is the month of revolution, July 4 is Bastille Day. This is the month when the masses rose in revolution, bringing down a vicious, nefarious and decadent regime.
And in early July, the French football team looks invincible, perfect and the most cohesive side so far.
The Blues will be facing surprise pack Paraguay in Saturday night’s game – a match where European skills take on Latin flair.
Even before the World Cup began, France had their name boldly inscribed on the top favourites list.
For good reasons too.
In the last fourteen matches, France only lost one, a friendly against Ivory Coast in early June, and drew with Iceland last year.
The stats say it all!
Les Bleus are here to create a bang.
In the four matches played in the current World Cup, France scored 13 goals conceding only 2.
There’s no dearth of firepower here, that’s for certain.
The rise of France is phenomenal because back in the 80s, it was an upper mid-level European team.
They won the European Championship on home soil beating Spain 2-0 in 1984, edged Brazil in penalties at the 1986 World Cup but went on to lose to Germany in the semis.
Led by Platini, they were solid but not invincible.
The current French team has ‘the best’ written all over it and if past matches provide any idea, Les Bleus should win against Paraguay.
But wait, as I have said several times earlier – at the knock- out level games of the World Cup, football prowess has to be bolstered by the crucial touch of luck.
France may be better in ranking, and their gameplay is certainly more aggressive and fast paced but if destiny has written the script in a different manner, then the Blues may just sink into the blues.
Paraguay coming this far is a pleasant surprise.
They played France in the round of sixteen at the 1998 World Cup, losing 1-0.
Their best result came in 2010 when they lost to Spain, the eventual champions, at the quarter final by a lone goal.
Paraguayan keeper, Orlando Gill, has hogged the headlines for the spectacular saves which earned them the victory over Germany and, once more, he has to be in his prime form because the French onslaught will be heavy and unrelenting.
While all statistics point at a French win, I will not make any predictions.
The Olympians up there are pulling the strings and victory will go to the ones who play the best and, most importantly, who the Gods and Goddesses favour.
