{"id":32999,"date":"2026-06-11T03:05:59","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T03:05:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trendifyhubusa.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/11\/meet-the-eight-world-cup-teams-coming-to-boston\/"},"modified":"2026-06-11T03:05:59","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T03:05:59","slug":"meet-the-eight-world-cup-teams-coming-to-boston","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trendifyhubusa.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/11\/meet-the-eight-world-cup-teams-coming-to-boston\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the eight World Cup teams coming to Boston"},"content":{"rendered":"


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A soccer axiom holds that, once the English invented the game, they left it to the French to provide organization, and the Italians promotion. France took things from there, founding FIFA (1904) and originating the World Cup (1930), along with the Champions Cup (1955) and European Championships (1960). <\/p>\n

Winning those competitions became another story, though. Fittingly, France\u2019s Lucien Laurent kicked off the World Cup in 1930 in Montevideo, Uruguay, with the tournament\u2019s first goal, before the team fell in group play. <\/p>\n

In 1934, France lost to Austria in the event\u2019s first extra-time game. <\/p>\n

In 1938, playing host to the World Cup, France was eliminated by champion Italy in the quarterfinals. <\/p>\n

In 1958, Les Bleus advanced to the semifinals, a 5-2 loss to Brazil, with Just Fontaine converting a tournament-record 13 goals. <\/p>\n

They returned to the semifinals in 1982 in Spain, and 1986 in Mexico, led by midfielder Michel Platini, their stylish play earned them the sobriquet \u201cthe Brazilians of Europe.\u201d Unlike Brazil, though, the French kept falling short, and their frustration led to a reorganization of the game, the establishment of the Centre National de Football in Clairefontaine, and repeal of laws preventing clubs from becoming fully professional.<\/p>\n

France failed to qualify for the 1990 and \u201994 World Cups (with Platini coaching) but found its footing in time for the 1998 World Cup, which Les Bleus won as hosts. The \u201cBleu, Blanc, Beur\u201d championship team united the country in celebrations, and its multi-ethnic makeup countered the anti-immigration agenda of the far right Front National. <\/p>\n

In the \u201998 final at Stade de France, Zinedine Zidane, then starring for Juventus in Italy, scored twice against a Brazil team in crisis after striker Ronaldo sustained pre-match convulsions. The France midfield included current coach Didier Deschamps, who would become the third person (following Franz Beckenbauer and Mario Zagallo) to win the World Cup as a player and coach in 2018. <\/p>\n

They kept up the pace, capturing the 2000 Euro final, and returning to the 2006 final in Berlin. This time, Les Bleus lost to Italy on penalties after Zidane was red-carded for head-butting defender Marco Materazzi.<\/p>\n

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Alex Livesey\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Click on the card to view their stats.<\/p>\n

<\/svg><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

France nearly missed the 2010 World Cup, edging past Ireland on aggregate with a 1-1 tie in a playoff qualifier, as a Thierry Henry handling violation went undetected. <\/p>\n

In 2018, with Deschamps in charge, they won for the second time, taking a 4-2 victory over Croatia in the final in Moscow. Kylian Mbapp\u00e9, 19, became the second teenager (after Pel\u00e9 in 1958) to score in the title match. They nearly repeated in 2022, as Randal Kolo Muani\u2019s last-minute shot was saved, and Mbapp\u00e9 converted a hat trick, before falling to Argentina on penalties after a 3-3 tie.<\/p>\n

Playing style<\/b><\/p>\n

Deschamps\u2019s 4-2-3-1 alignment emphasizes wing play through Mbapp\u00e9, Michael Olise, and others. Makes sense, Les Bleus being overloaded with wingers. Versatility presents a problem for opponents, trying to figure out who is going to be where. Deschamps aligns players differently than with their club teams, raising questions whether the team succeeds because of, or in spite of, his system. <\/p>\n

Mbapp\u00e9 prefers the left wing but could be at striker. On the wings, there are Ballon D\u2019Or winner Ousmane Dembele, Maghnes Akliouche, Bradley Barcola, Desire Doue. Olise and Ryan Cherki can be central playmakers, or right wingers. Should Deschamps go with a lone striker, it\u2019s Marcus Thuram, backed up by Jean-Philippe Mateta. Adrien Rabiot is first choice to guide the midfield, Manu Kon\u00e9, in reserve.”<\/p>\n

At holding midfield, Real Madrid teammates Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni, plus N\u2019Golo Kant\u00e9 and Warren Zaire-Emery. The back line appears vulnerable, as Brazil showed in a 2-1 loss to France in a March friendly at Gillette Stadium. William Saliba (Arsenal) and Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich) start centrally, flanked by Malo Gusto (Chelsea) and Lucas Digne (Aston Villa) or Theo Hernandez (Al-Hilal). Milan\u2019s Mike Maignan, born 120 miles from the Brazil border in Cayenne, French Guyana, has been the starting goalkeeper since 2023.<\/p>\n

Local ties<\/b><\/p>\n

\u2022 Laura Georges played at Boston College (2004-07) before becoming secretary general of the F\u00e9d\u00e9ration Fran\u00e7aise de Football.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Boston will be Les Bleus\u2019 World Cup base: Four Seasons Hotel, Bentley University practice site.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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