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Are the French tough enough to stop
Brazil?
Posted: Fri July 10,
1998
PARIS—After two years of qualifying and a month of
non-stop soccer, the moment has finally arrived. Sunday's
World Cup final at the Stade de France has it all: 70,000
French singing for their beloved Bleus; 10,000 Brazilians
blowing their horns and
beating their Samba drums; and, not least, two teams hoping to
make history. Will this century's last champion be Brazil,
seeking an unprecedented fifth title? Or will it be the
host France, trying to become only the seventh country to
win the World
Cup?
Who will prevail? Brazil is the odds-on favorite, but this
isn't an easy call. There are three keys to the
game:
One: France's so-far impeccable defense will have to
perform at an even higher level against Brazil, the world's
most dangerous
offense. That won't be easy. All the pressure is on France's
substitute defender,
Frank
LeBoeuf, stepping in for defensive anchor
Laurent
Blanc, who received a red card in the 2-1 semifinal victory over
Croatia. If LeBoeuf can help France frustrate
Ronaldo (LeBoeuf will get lots of help from
Marcel
Desailly) his team will have a
chance.
Two: French midfield ace Zinedine Zidane must find ways to
maneuver through Brazil's much-maligned but still fearsome
defensive
belly. Brazilian central defender
Junior
Baiano has picked up his play dramatically in recent games, and
it's up to Zidane to put himself in a dangerous position
where he can create real scoring opportunities, not just
"Hail Mary" shots from outside the
box.
Three: France has to be able to finish its
opportunities. It can't keep relying on its defenders to score. The
players up front for Les Bleus
(Stephane
Guivarch,
Thierry
Henry, or perhaps
David
Trezeguet) must get open and, when they do receive the ball,
convert.
All three things have to happen for France to win and,
frankly, I don't think they will. Brazil is too confident,
too experienced, and quite simply too
good.
Final prediction: Brazil,
2-0.
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