Twenty four years is a long time in football. Long enough for reputations to be forged and shattered, for dynasties to rise and fall. Yet for Didier D...
Twenty four years is a long time in football. Long enough for reputations to be forged and shattered, for dynasties to rise and fall. Yet for Didier Deschamps and his French side, that old wound from 2002 still aches. It was the year the World Champions walked onto the pitch in Seoul carrying the weight of expectation and left with their tails between their legs, undone by a Senegal side that played with the hunger of men who had nothing to lose. Now, as Les Bleus begin their latest campaign, they face the Lions of Teranga once more. The fixture list has thrown up a deliciously cruel bit of symmetry.Carrying the favourites tag is a burden that crushes as often as it crowns. France know this better than most. That 2002 defeat was not just an upset; it was a tactical humiliation. Senegal, managed by the wily Bruno Metsu, deployed a disciplined low block and hit France with devastating speed on the break. Papa Bouba Diop's goal sent a shockwave through the football world and sparked dancing in the streets of Dakar. It also sent Zinedine Zidane and co packing their bags before the knockout stages. For a squad dripping with talent, it was a masterclass in how to bottle it. So when Deschamps' men take the pitch on Tuesday, the question is not whether they have the quality, but whether they have the nerve.This current French side is a different beast, of course. They have Kylian Mbappé, a player who can turn a tight game into a romp with one burst of pace. They have Antoine Griezmann pulling strings from deep and a midfield that can dominate possession against almost anyone. But the ghosts of 2002 will not be exorcised by reputation alone. Senegal are no longer the rank outsiders they once were. They have their own star quality in Sadio Mané, and a squad that has grown accustomed to competing on the biggest stages. They will sit in, soak up pressure, and wait for the moment to spring. If France are careless in possession or ponderous in their build up, the same old story could write itself again.The key for Deschamps will be tactical flexibility. He cannot afford to let his team fall into the trap of overconfidence, that soft arrogance that creeps in when a side believes the job is already done before kick off. France must be ruthless in transitional play, snuffing out Senegal's counter attacks before they can gather steam. They need clinical finishing, not the wasteful, nervy attempts that plagued them in that infamous group stage exit. This is squeaky bum time from the very first match. No room for sentiment. No room for excuses.In the end, this is a test of character as much as quality. France have the tools to win this tournament, but football has a cruel habit of punishing those who look too far ahead. The ghosts of 2002 are watching. Whether France exorcise them or let them linger will tell us everything about the mettle of this squad. For Senegal, the chance to relive that glorious upset is a dream worth chasing. For France, it is a nightmare they must avoid at all costs.
