Colombia vs France – News and Probable Lineups

França will conclude their brief tour of the US this Sunday as they take on Colômbia in a friendly match at Northwest Stadium.

Both teams are preparing for the upcoming World Cup this summer, with Les Bleus looking to build on their previous win over Brasil as they continue their preparations in Washington DC.

Match overview

França once again had an effortless run through UEFA qualifying last autumn, closing their Group D campaign with a commanding 4-0 win against Ucrânia, followed by a 3-1 victory over Azerbaijão, before shifting their focus to the summer tournament.

Officially categorized as a friendly, the match on Thursday against Brasil was a crucial part of their preparations for the global finals.

Two teams aspiring to secure the World Cup met in Massachusetts, where Kylian Mbappe’s expertly placed lobbed shot gave the European side an early lead, bringing him closer to matching Olivier Giroud’s all-time national scoring record.

Despite Dayot Upamecano receiving a red card, Hugo Ekitike’s clinical finish extended their lead before Selecao managed to score late in the match, as França maintained their excellent form.

Following the victory against Brasil in Boston, their unbeaten record stretches to eight matches, with seven wins since last year’s tumultuous Nations League semi-final loss to Espanha.

Didier Deschamps, already a member of the select few who have won the World Cup both as a player and manager, will soon guide Les Bleus back to North America for his final tournament as head coach.

Choosing from a vast array of talent will be one of his greatest challenges, but Sunday’s match should assist in narrowing down an extensive list of potential candidates.

Despite facing tough competition from their French rivals, Colômbia has been impressive and was unbeaten for a year until their recent loss on Thursday.

A quick goal by Jhon Arias put them ahead against Croácia in Orlando; however, the South American team conceded two goals before the interval and could not respond effectively.

Nonetheless, Los Cafeteros can take pride in their remarkable 12-month unbeaten streak since their defeat to Brasil last March, and they have been scoring freely.

Colômbia finished third in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers, where they will start the group phase against tournament newcomers Uzbequistão; their momentum remains strong.

Ranked 14th by FIFA, Nestor Lorenzo’s team now faces third-placed França in a high-stakes friendly that will test their capabilities.

Up to now, the teams have each secured two wins in their four encounters, with the highlight being a decisive goal by Les Bleus legend Thierry Henry in the Confederations Cup back in June 2003.

Team News

While França boasts a wealth of talent, they are currently without several key players, including Roma midfielder Manu Kone, Barcelona’s Jules Kounde, and Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola.

Ekitike effectively took the place of Barcola against Brasil, while Maxence Lacroix is filling in for another London-based defender, William Saliba.

Deschamps may consider rotating his squad after utilizing a strong lineup on Thursday, potentially giving minutes to fringe players like Pierre Kalulu, Rayan Cherki, and veteran vice-captain N’Golo Kante.

On the other side, Colômbia’s captain James Rodriguez is set to earn his 124th international cap, just five shy of David Ospina’s all-time record.

Dealing with injuries this season while with Cagliari, seasoned defender Yerry Mina will miss this US tour, along with the versatile striker Jhon Duran.

Even with Duran absent, Los Cafeteros can rely on Bayern Munich winger Luis Diaz and Sporting Lisbon’s Luis Suarez to spearhead their attack; the latter netted four goals in their final World Cup qualifier against Venezuela and has propelled Sporting into the Champions League quarter-finals.

Colômbia probable starting XI:

Vargas; Munoz, Sanchez, Lucumi, Cabal; Lerma, Rios; J. Arias, Rodriguez, Diaz; Suarez

França probable starting XI:

Cousins; Kalulu, Konate, Lacroix, Digne; Kante, Rabiot; Olise, Cherky, Ekitike; Mbappe

After a remarkable year without a loss – a significant achievement given the competitiveness of CONMEBOL qualifiers – Colômbia may now face consecutive defeats.

França is likely to make alterations for the second match of their US tour, but the standards are expected to remain high, especially with World Cup squad selections still at stake.