International Friendly: Lille Contest may Struggle to Fuel Imagination

France vs Scotland

I imagine an international friendly match is the very last thing Scotland want to be bothered with this week.

After all, they were controversially denied a goal against Spain last week and then, to rub salt into their wounds, conceded moments later which meant they could not – for now at least – book their place at Euro 2024.

No doubt Steve Clarke’s men would rather be back in qualifying action this week rather than facing a fixture of little importance and having to wait a month to confirm their place in next summer’s showpiece.

That could mean international friendly highlights are at a premium in Lille.

Talking Points

That is also partly because Les Bleus have little incentive in this one either.

That’s following a double from Kylian Mbappe led France to a 2-1 victory over Holland in Amsterdam on Friday night to seal their slot at the tournament.

Didier Deschamps’ side have won all six of their European Championship qualifying matches and join Belgium, Portugal and hosts Germany in confirming their spot.

Now granted, there could be some fringe players on both sides given an opportunity to stake their claim in this one.

But that is about all that makes this a fixture of note.

France actually enter Tuesday’s friendly on an 11-game scoring streak since losing to Tunisia in a ‘dead rubber’ at last year’s World Cup.

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That was a tournament in which, in this observer’s view, the brilliant Mbappe announced himself as the heir to the crown of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as the world’s number one.

He became the first player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final since England’s Sir Geoff Hurst in 1966, netting a quick-fire double – just 97 seconds apart – to take the game into extra time where he added another.

He may have been named the Silver Ball winner as the second-best player in the tournament, behind Messi, the official award full of romance as the diminutive great reached the zenith in a glittering career.

Overall, though, few could touch Mbappe for sheer class in the tournament and, at the end of a truly epic final, he deserved more than the individual accolade he collected as Golden Boot winner.

His eight goals took his total tally of World Cup goals to 12, becoming the youngest player to reach double figures in the competition.

In the process he joined Brazil’s Vava and Pele, West Germany’s Paul Breitner and France’s Zinedine Zidane as the only players to score in multiple World Cup finals.

Perhaps he will be rested against Scotland!

After his Dutch double saw the 24 year-old move onto 42 strikes in France colours – overtaking the legendary Michel Platini into fourth place in the all-time charts – perhaps Olivier Giroud and Ousmane Dembele will be granted starts in the final third.

Deschamps lost William Saliba, Jules Kounde, Axel Disasi and Dayot Upamecano to injuries last week so expect changes at the back.

Chelsea right-back Malo Gusto made his France debut off the bench against the Netherlands and is now in line for his first start, while RB Leipzig’s Castello Lukeba – a replacement for Disasi – could also earn his first minutes for the national team.

Scott McTominay will aim to produce International Friendly highlights as Scotland face France — Scott McTominay during Scotland’s Euro 2024 qualifier match against Spain

Scotland are at full strength apart from captain Andy Robertson who suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder against Spain, having been clattered by goalkeeper Simon.

Clarke will likely rest other key men too though as their next qualifier against Georgia takes priority.

It is hard to overstate how difficult it will be for Scotland to regroup against by a nation that sits second in the FIFA world rankings.

Yes, the result matters little, but France’s overall squad depth and added quality should still prove a difference.

History

Scotland’s record against France is delicately poised, the two nations having played on 16 occasions, garnering eight wins apiece since they first met in 1930.

Scotland won the first two matches between the sides, a double from Hughie Gallacher giving them a 2-0 victory in Paris in May 1930, while a Neil Dewar hat-trick secured a 3-1 victory in Paris two years later.

Scotland secured a famous double over France during the qualification campaign for Euro 2008.

A Gary Caldwell goal earned a 1-0 victory at Hampden in 2006, before an iconic 35-yard strike from James McFadden clinched a famous victory for Scotland in the Parc des Princes in 2007.

France have won five of the last seven meetings, including last time out when a 3-0 friendly win in Metz in 2016 was secured thanks to a Giroud brace and a Laurent Koscielny goal.