France v Germany – pre-match buildup!

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      France v Germany: World Cup 2014 quarter-final – live!


      France 0 Germany 0

      World Cup 2014
      France
      Germany


        France v Germany
        France v Germany: Karim Benzema is set to face Thomas Müller. Photograph: AFP / Getty / Rex
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        By the way, while we're on the subject of 1982, I must venture the opinion that it remains a better tournament than the current one - although, of course, my view on that may change as this competition comes to a crunch.

        The kit conundrum: solved

        Steven Fontenot has sent the correct answer to the correct address, and presumably dresses himself on the correct side too. "I assume France were annoyed with the kit manufacturers because le coq was on the wrong side of the jersey? A misaligned coq can cause problems..."
        If you want to talk trends, then we must consider that France losing here would be most uncharacteristic. Because while the Germans have been the epitome of consistency down the years - reaching at least the quarter-finals in every World Cup since 1954 , France have been monumentally erratic, alternating between wonderful play and comical bungling: losing to strong opponents in the last eight would be unusually normal for them.

        That 1973 kit

        Oh la la, some of you are getting in a funk at your inability to work out what minor kit fault angered the French in the 1973 tussle referred to below. "I can't work out what's wrong with the kits - please tell me!" bawls Tom Black. "Is it that some of that shorts vary greatly in size?" No, that's not what bothered them. (At this point I should warm readers that you're probably going to be a little disappointed when you find out the real reason for their dismay)

        Schumacher and all that

        In a bid to meet the mandatory quota of mentions of the 1982 match, allow me to refer you to this article in Le Monde, who have tracked down Harald Schumacher and harvested his memories of Sevilla - and the aftermath: "I had two bodyguards for at least the next six months. Everywhere I went, at least one of them came with me. As you can imagine, it wasn't a great experience. I also received letters, some in German and some in French, from people who said they wanted to kidnap or kill my children."
        Updated
        Well that's a much more balanced line-up from Germany, with Lahm seemingly starting at right-back and Khedira in the middle. It will be fascinating to see how starting with Klose up front pans out: Mamadou Sakho will probably be happy, as he's more comfortable confronting a regular centre-forward than tryign to keep track of a shrewd drifter like Muller, who, of course, will still be on hand to make mischief from wider.
        As for Didier Deschamps' selection, he's done the wise thing and brought Griezman back so that Benzema can play through the middle. So it's a pretty scene that's been set. Game on!

        Teams:

        Germany: Neuer; Lahm, Boateng, Hummels, Howedes; Khedira, Schweinsteiger; Kroos, Ozil, Muller; Klose
        France: Lloris; Debuchy, Varane, Sakho, Evra; Cabaye, Matuidi; Valbuena, Pogba, Griezmann; Benzema.
        The man in black: J Cash (USA)
        The man in the middle: N Pitana (Argentina)
        Updated

        Preamble:

        The way Manuel Neuer kept hurtling out of his box against Algeria the other night could have led one to suspect that he was already preparing for this, the reprise of the classic France v West Germany match of 1982 and Harald Schumacher's arse-first attack on Patrick Battiston. The past will have no bearing on the outcome of this match, of course, but it does provide a seductive narrative for us lot to babble about while the players play. The truth is there is no longer much animus between France and Germany and if it's a proper grudge match that you wanted, then you needed Algeria to prevail the other night to set up a meeting with France that could have had ramifications far beyond football. Which is not to say this France-Germany match is going to be a namby-pamby affair. Far from it: in fact, here's hoping for the truly high-grade clash that this World Cup, for all its thrills, has yet to deliver.
        This could be a great contest, in terms of quality as well as drama. But for that, both teams will have to raise their game a little, especially Germany, who have looked disturbingly mismanaged so far. With a defence composed of four centrebacks, Philip Lahm in midfield, and out-of-form Mesut Ozil and Mario Gotze out wide while Andreas Schurrle is wasted on the bench, can Joachim Low really say he has thus far played to his squad's strength rather than to some hifalutin' coaching vanity? Not that all of Germany's flaws are due to poor design: the injury to Marco Reus has been much more debilitating to Germany than Franck Ribéry's has been to France. Germany miss the Dortmund player's speed and madness. Also, Sami Khedira is short of fitness and Bastian Schweinsteiger has looked plodsome, so France could monster Germany in midfield if Blaise Matuidi, Paul Pogba and Yohan Cabaye play to full potential. France are a far more balanced team than Germany, strong in every position, except possibly left-back, where, in the last 16 match against Nigeria, Patrice Evra played much the same way as he did for Manchester United last season. But this is the biggest challenge that France have yet faced and they have to prove they have the heart and sangfroid for the battle. We can discuss all this further when we see the teams.
        Before then, let's dredge up history again. The Germans, of course, were the winners in the two memorable meetings in the 1980s, but France have had the better of things more recently, winning five and drawing one of the last seven encounters.And here, for the pedants amongst you, is shoddy footage of a 1973 meeting between the nations. See if you can figure out why France were annoyed with their kit manufacturers before the game.

        Updated
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