France head coach Didier Deschamps said Friday that beating Australia in their first group-stage match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup was crucial for the team.
"It takes a lot to win the World Cup, but first we need to win the first match. We've made it past the group stage only twice at the recent World Cups, so we don't look far ahead, we should think about Australia. It's a very explosive team who very well swap passes and change tactical schemes," Deschamps told reporters.
France won their only World Cup on home turf in 1998 and finished runners-up to Italy in 2006 before reaching the quarter-finals in 2014, but failed to reach the knockout stage in 2002 and 2010.
France were drawn in Group C at this summer's tournament and will face Australia in Kazan on Saturday, Peru in Yekaterinburg on June 21 and Denmark in Moscow on June 26.
International news source
Related Articles

Socceroos midfielder embraces move to England

Cardiff City snap up sought-after Socceroos starlet
