In a confrontation of the round of 16 of the Qatar Cup with a clear favorite, the biggest attraction is the duel between two of the main players of today, the young Kylian Mbappé, 23, and the experienced Robert Lewandowski, 34.
France and Poland face each other this Sunday (4), at 12h (Brasília time), at the Al Thumana stadium, in Doha. The winner will be one of the top eight of the Worlds, and the loser will take the plane back home.
Motivation on both sides is high. France is looking for the second title in a row in the Cup (the third in history), and Poland is trying its best campaign since the 1982 World Cup, in Spain, when it was a semifinalist. Afterwards, the furthest he reached was the round of 16, in Mexico-1986, when he took Brazil 4-0.
As much as they are on the field 11 against 11, the spotlight of the match will be directed most of the time to the biggest star in France and the only one in Poland.
Champion in 2018, in Russia, at the age of 19, having even scored a goal in the decision against Croatia, Mbappé has since become one of the main players on the planet.
So much so that today, even with stars like Messi and Neymar as a partner at Paris Saint-Germain, he is already considered the star of the team.
It is the top scorer of the French Championship, interrupted, like all those that were in progress, for the Cup. And it was also the last one. And the penultimate. And the penultimate.
In Qatar, Mbappé’s responsibility increased after it became known, on the eve of his debut, that Benzema, Real Madrid’s top scorer and current winner of the Ballon d’Or (an award given to the best player in the world), would be out of the World Cup due to injury in the quadriceps of the left thigh.
In the first two matches, he stood out as expected. A goal and an assist 4-1 in Australia, two goals 2-1 in Denmark.
With France through, coach Didier Deschamps rested the starters for the third game in Group D, and Mbappé only came on in the second half, with France trailing Tunisia.
The number 10 did not manage, this time, to lead the team to a draw, but hopes, going to France for the match against Poland with full force, to resume the top scorer phase.
On the other hand, Poland enters the game in the role of underdogs – admittedly.
Striker Milik declared that a scooter (scooter) was needed to chase and stop Mbappé, and reserve goalkeeper Grabara stated that the possibility of eliminating France is 1%.
Coach Czeslaw Michniewicz, however, has stated that he does not intend to leave the Middle East just yet. “We haven’t packed our bags, we’re not ready to leave.”
He said that France has no weaknesses, which will make Poland have to take advantage of any possible mistake by the rival, and that his team needs to find a way for the ball to reach striker Lewandowski, twice named the best in the world by FIFA (2020 and 2021) and top scorer in the history of the national team, with 77 goals.
Poland’s captain, Lewa, who this season left Bayern Munich for Barcelona, has scored a goal in the Qatari World Cup, scored in the second game against Saudi Arabia. It was his first and so far only World Cup goal in six matches, three now, three four years ago.
On his debut in Group C, he wasted a penalty against Mexico –saved by goalkeeper Ochoa– and against Messi’s Argentina he suffered from isolation, as the Poles caught little of the ball and he was almost never used.
“It is necessary to limit his influence [Lewandowski] in the game,” said coach Deschamps. “The less balls he gets, the less dangerous he will be. He is an intelligent player with technical ability who uses his body very well. Any ball can be dangerous with him.”
For Deschamps’ team, the match in Doha will have a record and may have another.
Entering the field, goalkeeper and captain Lloris will be, tied with former winger Liliam Thuram (world champion in 1998), the player with the most appearances (142) for France.
And striker Giroud, if he scores his third goal in this World Cup, will become the greatest single scorer in the history of Les Bleus (Blues). He will reach 52 and overtake the celebrated Thierry Henry.
As a seasoned news journalist, I bring a wealth of experience to the field. I’ve worked with world-renowned news organizations, honing my skills as a writer and reporter. Currently, I write for the sports section at News Bulletin 247, where I bring a unique perspective to every story.
