English, a stance that appears to annoy at least some of my fellow countrymen. I mention this to underline that there is no nationality bias when I say I would prefer to see France win this World Cup above anyone else.

France’s ethnically diverse squad reflects the nation’s multi-faceted history: its colonial heritage, migration patterns and the French Football Federation’s training policy that dates back to the 1990s.

Colonialism shaped the movement of people across continents. Today, that legacy continues to influence who represents whom on football's biggest stage, exposing enduring questions about migration, identity,

France were kicked, punched, prodded and provoked by Paraguay, but at no point were they rattled. If anything, Kylian Mbappé and his team-mates regarded these cynical acts by their South American opponents with utter disdain.

‘The final before the final’: Spain must improve to beat France – but two things are in their favour - The late Mikel Merino show saved Spain’s blushes – again – in Belgium quarter-final yet Luis de l