Fifa World Cup: France on cusp of era-defining greatness as they hunt back-to-back titles
- France are two victories away from breaking 60-year-old record and emulating the achievements of Brazil in 1962
- ‘We can be satisfied with what we have achieved so far, even though we want to go further,’ says coach Didier Deschamps
For France, history beckons. Didier Deschamps and his World Cup holders stand on the cusp of era-defining greatness after moving closer to becoming the first nation to win back-to-back titles since Brazil in the days of Pele and Garrincha.
Having eliminated England in the quarter-finals and Poland in the round before, the two-time winners and defending champions take on Morocco, Africa’s first-ever World Cup semi-finalists, with the smell of success in their nostrils.
France are two victories over the next six days from breaking a 60-year-old record and emulating the achievements of Brazil in 1962, when the South Americans defeated Czechoslovakia in Santiago to become only the second nation – after Italy in 1938 – to successfully defend the title.
In the time since, no nation has managed to repeat the feat. Only twice – Argentina in 1990 and Brazil eight years later – has the defending champion gone on to reach the final and Deschamps was remaining cautious after seeing off Gareth Southgate’s side.
“I’m sorry but you’re getting ahead of yourself,” the former midfielder said when asked about the prospect of consecutive titles. “We’re getting to the semi-finals. We are getting closer to the final and this was an important achievement, so we can believe.