France is the talk of the World Cup

PETALING JAYA: This World Cup doesn’t just have a French accent; French is set to become its official language.

Such was the dominance of the 2022 runners-up in a 2-0 quarter-final win over Morocco that the other countries will be wondering how they can get a word in.

The African side certainly couldn’t in a game that emphatically ended its 34-game unbeaten run.

But if it was a mismatch for which neutrals may have regretted missing a night’s sleep, there was plenty to keep rivals wide awake.

A two-goal win doesn’t suggest a hammering, but France’s superiority makes them firm favourites to go one better than their final defeat to Argentina in Qatar.

If France’s quality on the ball doesn’t scare opponents, its depth is another conversation.

After they saw off Paraguay, the South American’s former goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert dismissed them as “an African squad.”

His sour grapes not only had a racist tinge, but were totally wrong, although we do know where he was coming from.

No less than 20 of the 23-man squad were born in France, but so were 75 others at this World Cup!

Altogether, no less than 98 France-born players started the tournament!

Of their biggest stars, Mbappe is pure Parisian, born in the suburb of Bondy, while Ousmane Dembele hails from Normandy, a place that knows about invasions.

And one of those who wasn’t born in France was born in London.

The silver-skilled Michael Olise was let slip by England and snapped up by Les Bleus because his mother is of French-Algerian descent.

The truth is that France has footballers to spare. Many of the graduates of its esteemed Clairefontaine academy opt for other countries if they qualify and feel they’re not good enough for the home nation.

Several chose Morocco because of parental links, but the difference in class was obvious throughout a one-sided clash.

Without injured striker Ismail Saibari, the North African side were powder-puff in attack and a sad disappointment.

The biggest France star, Mbappe, had, for him, an off day, missing a penalty and looking out of sorts.

But he still came up with a beautiful goal to break the deadlock and draw level with Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot.

And when he was replaced, it was Olise who shone with his mesmerising feet, although he didn’t add to his five assists so far.

Golden Ball winner Dembele did score to make it five goals in the tournament, but the Golden Boot looks beyond him.

However, a second World Cup seems within the grasp of head coach Didier Deschamps, who will retire at the end.

Of course, it will be a third in all as he won one as a player in 1998 and this time had to deal with the death of his mother in the middle of the tournament.

Once dubbed a “water carrier” by Eric Cantona, he has turned it into wine and a fine vintage at that.

At least Fifa will be relieved the uneventful game passed without controversy.

Pilloried for perceived bias towards Argentina and Lionel Messi, in particular, the governing body selected an all-Argentine team of officials – the first time in a World Cup.

The most contentious moments were the three minutes and 12 seconds it took to decide that the most obvious penalty was, in fact, a penalty!

What could they possibly be looking for? This all-Argentine team of VAR officials was supposed to speed things up. No misunderstandings. All speaking the same language.

And the referee was not asked to go to the monitor! It really does look as if they were frantically searching for a reason to send him there, to cast doubt in his mind and perhaps overturn it. Sadly, this is what it’s come to.

Fifa has left itself open to such ridicule and there was absolutely no need for the delay.

It appeared to affect Mbappe, whose pathetic effort was comfortably saved by Yassine Bounou.

Delays seem to work for the defending team, as will be noted. But did the advertisers manage to slip in a few ads in that time?
If no, why not?

Don’t be surprised if the money-grabbing governing body makes them mandatory.