That’s at least that: the French team, if it leaves its Euro 2024 group in Germany, will not be able to find Switzerland in the round of 16, the opponent who eliminated it at this stage of the competition in 2021, at the end of a crazy match and an unconverted shot on goal by Kylian Mbappé.
Switzerland, which qualified for Euro 2024 with difficulty (second in its group behind Romania, with only four victories in 10 matches), is not a very dangerous opponent. But Didier Deschamps’ French team is still shaken by its elimination against the Nati in the round of 16 of Euro 2020 (played in 2021), at the end of a crazy evening in Bucharest (3-3, 4 tab to 5). Kylian Mbappé’s penalty saved by Yann Sommer sent the Blues home.
Having fallen into Group D of the next European Championship organized in Germany, the world vice-champions have little chance of finding the Swiss on their way. If they finish first ahead of Austria, the Netherlands and the winner of the A play-off (Poland-Estonia against Wales-Finland), the French could only fall on Switzerland in the semi-finals. This would also be a possibility in the event of second place, but it would mean that Switzerland finished on top after facing Hungary, Scotland and the Mannschaft.
In any case, a France-Switzerland in the round of 16 is impossible. Indeed comes the case of a third place for the Blues (the four best thirds out of the six groups are qualified). Mbappé and his teammates could then come across the winners of groups B, C and E. The French press will not recall this painful memory from Bucharest. And the EDF has also changed a lot since then, since Hugo Lloris, Raphaël Varane, Clément Lenglet, Presnel Kimpembe, Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kanté and Karim Benzema – all starters during this rout – are no longer in the group .
