Match preview: France look to secure knockout stage against eliminated Poland

The sides with different fortunes on the line will face off in their final Euro 2024 Group B match on Tuesday at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund: France and Poland.

France, the 2018 World Cup winners, are in position to advance to the knockout stages; they just need to draw or defeat Poland to secure their place. Les Bleus have been relatively lacklustre in their opening games despite their excellent position; they managed a close 1-0 victory over Austria and a goalless draw with the Netherlands.

Didier Deschamps, the coach of France, is cautious, saying, "We've always got the necessary amount of respect for our opponent." We'll be playing a team that will undoubtedly be trying their hardest to win.

However, Poland's participation in the tournament has already ended due to losses against Austria and the Netherlands. Polish coach Michał Probierz is nevertheless upbeat about his team's drive in spite of this. "I had no issue with players' motivation prior to this final game, even though it is true that we have no chance of qualifying," he stated.

Important Players to Keep an Eye on

N'Golo Kanté, a midfielder for France, has been an outstanding player, continuing his remarkable record of never losing a game in regulation time at a significant international competition. Kanté declared, "It's looking good for what's to come," expressing his team's confidence in their campaign.

Robert Lewandowski of Poland will be making his way back to Signal Iduna Park, where he spent four seasons playing club football. His rendition could be crucial for Poland’s hopes of leaving the tournament on a high note.

Historical Context

The France vs Poland head-to-head record favours France, with Poland failing to secure a victory against Les Bleus in their last eight encounters. Poland’s last competitive win against France dates back to the 1982 World Cup third-place play-off.

Possible Line-ups

France: Maignan; Koundé, Saliba, Upamecano, Hernandez; Dembélé, Kanté, Tchouaméni, Rabiot; Griezmann, Thuram

Poland: Skorupski; Bednarek, Dawidowicz, Kiwior; Frankowski, Slisz, Moder, Zieliński, Zalewski; Urbański, Lewandowski

The France vs Poland match kicks off at 17:00 Nigerian time on Tuesday, June 25, with Italian referee Marco Guida officiating and Massimiliano Irrati as VAR.

While France aims to fine-tune their performance ahead of the knockout stages, Poland will be looking to salvage pride and potentially cause an upset in their final Euro 2024 appearance.

As Probierz put it, “Of course, in general we are disappointed but I still think we will bring some good memories home from this tournament.”