France's World Cup Weaknesses: BBC Experts Weigh In
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- France have won all five World Cup matches, scoring 14 goals and conceding just two, ahead of their quarter-final against Morocco on Thursday at 21:00 BST, with Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, and Ousmane Dembélé combining for 20 goal involvements.
- Ian Dennis (BBC Radio 5 Live) argues Spain — not France — are the real tournament favourites, noting Senegal should have led at half-time against France and that an understrength Norway created awkward moments in the first half in Boston.
- Phil McNulty flags a likely semi-final collision with Spain, who are on a 35-game unbeaten run in all competitions, have yet to concede a goal, and have beaten France in their previous two meetings.
- John Bennett (BBC World Service) questions whether moving Michael Olise to the number 10 role could leave France overrun in midfield, warning that a possession-based side like Spain or a defensive Morocco could target that space.
- Neil Johnston notes France have never fallen behind in the tournament, with centre-backs William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano key to a defense that has conceded both goals only while already leading.
- Alex Howell (BBC Sport) predicts an England vs France World Cup final, saying Thomas Tuchel's midfield of Rice, Anderson, and Bellingham can physically impose themselves on Les Bleus to deliver 'the greatest success in the game.'
- Gary Rose backs Morocco as a live quarter-final upset threat, noting they were 2022 semi-finalists and have improved since, with the defensive resilience to frustrate Mbappé and Olise.
Why it matters: The expert consensus identifies a specific structural vulnerability — Olise's attacking role in a midfield two — that possession-based sides like Spain could exploit, while France's quarter-final opponent Morocco enters as a battle-tested 2022 semi-finalist. With England also flagged as a potential final-round obstacle, France's path to a third straight final is narrower than the bookmakers' odds suggest.
