Uruguay vs France: 5 things we learned

France will face Belgium in an all-European semi-final later on Tuesday after successfully seeing off Uruguay in the quarter-finals.

Prior to this clash, La Celeste had conceded just one goal during this entire tournament. France, meanwhile, was steadily growing in confidence after already seeing off another South American giant, Argentina, in the round of 16 during a seven-goal thriller.

However, Uruguay’s defense was finally breached – twice – as France earned a comprehensive 2-0 win, thus denying Uruguay the chance to be South America’s only rep in the final four as Brazil was also beaten by Belgium.

Here are five observations from France’s solid victory over Uruguay.

1. Without Edinson Cavani, Uruguay are in trouble

For years, Cavani has largely had to operate in someone’s shadow. Whether it was Diego Forlan during his heyday or to some extent, Barcelona’s Luis Suarez, or Zlatan Ibrahimovic pushing him out of position at PSG, the ex-Napoli man has more often than not had to play second fiddle.

Even at this summer’s tournament, whilst he was mentioned as the other focal point of Uruguay’s attack, it took him until the final group stage game against Russia to finally get going. The relief on his face after opening his World Cup account was clear for all to see, and it was obvious that having gotten that monkey off his back, he certainly was shaping up to have a strong tournament.

That was proven with his brace against Portugal to fire Uruguay into the quarter-finals. Unfortunately, that result came at a steep price as he suffered a calf injury that ruled him out of his team’s game against France, with Suarez left to shoulder much of the attacking responsibilities alongside Cristhian Stuani, who has had to settle for a spot on the bench during this entire tournament. Without Cavani, Uruguay was stripped of a key attacking option, which naturally played right into France’s hands.

2. Deschamps must be careful not to overuse Kylian Mbappe

At just 19, Kylian Mbappe has netted three World Cup goals, including a spectacular brace against Argentina. He’s arguably looking like a clear candidate to win the best young player at this tournament and seems to be growing in confidence as the tournament proceeds.

However, this is his first major tournament at senior level, and he clearly has a lot of growing and maturing to do. Against Uruguay, he cut a rather frustrated figure due to being unable to work his magic and ended up picking up a yellow card during an off the ball incident that Uruguay’s defenders thought he was feigning injury. Fatigue – both physical and mental – is a serious thing to consider, and Deschamps needs to be careful not to overuse his young starlet to avoid burnout.

Should he feature against Belgium? Certainly. His performances have looked very promising and he’s a clear threat due to his pace and trickery. But with Ousmane Dembele, a similar-minded player on the bench, perhaps Deschamps should consider using Mbappe in the first half, and get Dembele involved at some point to give the youngster a much-needed rest – especially if everything goes France’s way and Les Bleus are on to the final this weekend.

3. No friendships on the pitch

Antoine Griezmann may consider himself an honorary Uruguayan due to his strong friendship with Atletico Madrid’s defensive stalwart Diego Godin – who is also the godfather to his daughter – but there was no time for friendships in this clash. It was Griezmann’s brilliant effort that effectively ended Uruguay’s chances of earning a comeback, and the proverbial straw that broke La Celeste’s back.

In a true display of respect for the country he feels a strong affinity for, Griezmann opted not to celebrate. Not that it mattered one bit to a very bitter Luis Suarez, who had commented that Griezmann “didn’t understand what it meant to be Uruguayan” in response to the Frenchman’s praise for the small South American nation.

4. France fail to ignite…once again

Yes, France earned the spoils in this match, but it was a bit of a letdown after the team’s blitz against Argentina. This match, by contrast, seemed to be rather cumbersome and pedestrian at times, but on the other hand, Les Bleus were facing a team who had conceded just one goal all tournament.

However, they’ll need to step it up if they want to find a way past a Belgium side who, despite some defensive issues, have been steadily growing in confidence with each passing positive result. Remember, Belgium have yet to lose – or even draw – a game so far at this tournament.

5. N’Golo Kante quietly continues to shine

Most of the focus has been on the likes of Griezmann, Mbappe, and even midfielder Paul Pogba. But quietly, in the background, Chelsea’s midfield warrior N’Golo Kante continues to be a solid presence in the middle of the park – just like he did for Leicester City’s Premier League winning campaign.

Kante isn’t someone that seeks out the spotlight, and clearly enjoys doing his work without much fuss. With his tireless energy and seemingly endless stamina, he has relished in his preferred role, and it’s no surprise that he’s made the most interceptions (15) than any other player at this tournament.

Just like Luka Modric makes things tick for Croatia, Kante keeps things under control for France, and despite not recording a goal or an assist, he’s arguably been France’s best player so far in Russia for all the work he does behind the scenes.