NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia 鈥� France picked up two trophies in 1998: One, of course, was the country鈥檚 only World Cup title, won on home soil. It was also the birth year of Kylian Mbappe, the 19-year-old who鈥檚 emerging as one of the biggest stars of the World Cup.
鈥淲ell, that was a good year for him to be born, even if he didn鈥檛 see much of the 1998 World Cup,鈥� joked French coach Didier Deschamps, who was the captain in 鈥�98. 鈥淚鈥檓 very happy that Mbappe is a French citizen.鈥�
?It will be France鈥檚 searing speed led by Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann against Uruguay鈥檚 defence anchored by Diego Godin on Friday in Nizhny Novgorod in the World Cup quarterfinals. The winner will face Brazil or Belgium.
Uruguay has given up only one goal in four World Cup matches, and France has scored seven 鈥� most in the 4-3 victory over Argentina in the round of 16.
In scoring twice against Argentina , Mbappe became the first teenager with multiple goals in a World Cup knockout game since a 17-year-old Pele did it twice (including a hat trick against France) in 1958.
It鈥檚 a big stage with inevitable comparisons that Mbappe smiled about and then batted away.
鈥淚t鈥檚 flattering to be the second one since Pele,鈥� said Mbappe, born in France to a father from Cameroon and a mother from Algeria. 鈥淏ut let鈥檚 put things in perspective. Pele鈥檚 another category.鈥�
This is France鈥檚 seventh quarterfinal and its fourth in the last six World Cups dating back to 1998 and the famous side led by Deschamps, Patrick Vieira, Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry 鈥� the so-called 鈥淩ainbow Team鈥� from a multicultural France.
鈥淚n a World Cup you have the top-level players,鈥� said Mbappe, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain. 鈥淪o it鈥檚 an opportunity to show what you can do and what your abilities are. There is no better place than a World Cup.鈥�
After three lacklustre games in group play, France was electric in its most recent match, particularly in the second half when it cut up Argentina鈥檚 plodding defence. Five of France鈥檚 starters in the first group match had never played in the World Cup, including Mbappe.
鈥淵ou need some patience,鈥� Deschamps said.
Deschamps has compared playing Uruguay to facing Peru, which narrowly lost to France 1-0 in group play on a goal by Mbappe.
He termed Uruguay 鈥渟olid and aggressive鈥� in a French television interview, adding: 鈥淭hese are not qualities displayed by Argentina.鈥�
The match will showcase several cross-border friendships.
Griezmann plays at Atletico Madrid where his teammates are Uruguayan defenders Godin and Jose Maria Gimenez. Godin is the godfather of Griezmann鈥檚 daughter.
While Godin and Gimenez will try to stop Griezmann, Uruguay striker Luis Suarez will be opposing Barcelona teammate Samuel Umtiti.
鈥淚鈥檝e always joked ... that I wanted to face Umtiti at a World Cup,鈥� Suarez said. 鈥淎nd it came true.鈥�
Suarez鈥檚 running mate, Edinson Cavani, scored both goals in the knockout win over Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal but is nursing a hamstring injury, and it鈥� unclear if he will play.
His absence would be a blow to the South Americans, but defence is the real key with coach Oscar Tabarez expecting to see less of the ball.
鈥淚 think very often there鈥檚 the mistaken belief that ball possession leads to scoring opportunities,鈥� said Tabarez, who took over in 2006.
鈥淚f you don鈥檛 have ball possession, you can still inflict pain.鈥�
