France will be looking to secure their first win of the Euro 2024 tournament through their own efforts when they face Poland in their final group stage match. The match will take place at the Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany on Tuesday.
France currently sits tied with the Netherlands on four points in Group B, with Austria trailing by a single point in third place. Poland, having lost their opening two matches against the Netherlands (2-1) and Austria (3-1), was the first team to be eliminated from the tournament.
Poland’s captain, Robert Lewandowski, who will turn 36 in August, missed the match against the Netherlands due to a thigh injury and came on as a substitute in the 60th minute against Austria. This match could potentially mark his last-ever European Championship appearance.
For France, the availability of Kylian Mbappé will be crucial. In his absence, Antoine Griezmann played further forward against the Netherlands, allowing Aurélien Tchouaméni to bolster the midfield. Should Mbappé return, Griezmann is likely to drop back into midfield, with either Tchouaméni or Adrien Rabiot missing out.
Despite Poland’s elimination, coach Michal Probierz remains optimistic about their performance: “It is true that we have no chances of qualifying, but I had no problem with players’ motivation ahead of this final game. They worked very hard and I hope we will put in a good performance. Of course, in general we are disappointed but I still think we will bring some good memories home from this tournament.”
French head coach Didier Deschamps echoed a similar sentiment of respect for their opponents: “We’ve always got the required amount of respect for our opponent. I’m sure we’ll have a side up against us that will be doing their best to win. This is the highest level of football, so we’re not expecting this Poland side to take their foot off the gas.”
The match promises to be an intriguing encounter, with France seeking a strong performance to finish the group stage on a high note and Poland looking to end their tournament on a positive note with a memorable performance.
