World Soccer - UK (2019-10)

P W D L F A Pts

TURKEY 6 5 0 1 14 2 15

FRANCE 6 5 0 1 19 4 15

ICELAND 6 4 0 2 10 9 12

ALBANIA 6 3 0 3 10 9 9

MOLDOVA 6 1 0 5 2 17 3

ANDORRA 6 0 0 6 0 14 0

Revelation

LEO DUBOIS

France

Didier Deschamps is a difficult

man to please. Besides talent

and good form, the French coach

also demands strong characters

and team players and those that

rock the boat need not apply.

The Lyon right-back

undeniably fits the bill in

all categories: enterprising,

disciplined, tremendously

consistent and a professional

from top to toe.

He describes himself as a

perfectionist, as being “eternally

dissatisfied” – which is music to

the ears of the similarly inclined

Deschamps.

While the 25-year-old is only

at the beginning of his national-

team journey and still has much

to prove, he does have three

major factors in his favour. Unlike

France’s first-choice right-back

Benjamin Pavard, he is an out-

and-out defender. He has the

advantage of competing in the

Champions League with OL and

can operate on the left-side too.

Skipper at Nantes, he joined

Lyon last year and came close to

being handed the armband this

term by new boss Sylvinho

before Jason Denayer was

given the nod.

win over world champions France.

With his pace, trickery, fearlessness

and accurate dead-ball delivery, he was a

thorn in French flesh all game long and

was involved in both of his side’s goals,

first whipping in a free-kick which led

to Kaan Ayhan heading home, then

doubling his team’s advantage with a

well-struck cross-shot.

French left-back Lucas Digne had a

torrid evening, attempting in vain to ward

off the little wide man, and was probably

relieved to be taken off at half-time.

Unfortunate to tweak a hamstring

during a national-team training session in

September – an injury that would put

him out of action for five weeks – Under

could, as long as he manages to slay his

physical demons, develop into a genuine

world-class talent.

“I’m proud that Turkish players like

Under are pitching up in Europe and

doing well there,” says former Turkey

coach Fatih Terim.

“He’s young, he’s hungry and crucially

has lots of untapped potential. I don’t

think he’ll let pressure get to him. He has

a great mentality, that of a champion.”

22.03.19 Moldova-France 1- 4

22.03.19 Andorra-Iceland 0-2

22.03.19 Albania-Turkey 0-2

25.03.19 Turkey-Moldova 4-0

25.03.19 France-Iceland 4-0

25.03.19 Andorra-Albania 0-3

08.06.19 Iceland-Albania 1- 0

08.06.19 Moldova-Andorra 1- 0

08.06.19 Turkey-France 2-0

11.06.19 Iceland-Turkey 2-1

11.06.19 Andorra-France 0-4

11.06.19 Albania-Moldova 2-0

07.09.19 Iceland-Moldova 3-0

07.09.19 Turkey-Andorra 1- 0

07.09.19 France-Albania 4-1

10.09.19 Moldova-Turkey 0-4

10.09.19 France-Andorra 3-0

10.09.19 Albania-Iceland 4-2

11.1 0 .19 Turkey-Albania

11.1 0 .19 Iceland-France

11.1 0 .19 Andorra-Moldova

14 .10 .19 Moldova-Albania

14 .10 .19 Iceland-Andorra

14 .10 .19 France-Turkey

14 .11.19 Turkey-Iceland

14 .11.19 France-Moldova

14 .11.19 Albania-Andorra

17.11.19 Moldova-Iceland

17.11.19 Andorra-Turkey

17.11.19 Albania-France

GROUP H

Perfectionist

...Dubois

Victorious...Turkey

celebrate beating France

Talent...Under