France coach Didier Deschamps knows most neutral fans want Argentina to win the World Cup final on Sunday to give Lionel Messi the perfect send-off from football's biggest tournament.
“I’m fine being alone in the world – that doesn't bother me,” said Deschamps as Les Bleus bid to become the first side to retain the trophy for 60 years.
The World Cup started for France with a deluge of injuries, with Karim Benzema, Christopher Nkunku and Presnel Kimpembe being ruled out to join Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kante on the sidelines.
It is finishing with France's squad being further weakened by a virus that led to defender Dayot Upamecano and midfielder Adrien Rabiot missing the win over Morocco in the semi-finals.
Deschamps is taking it all in his stride. “We are doing our best to take precautions and adapt as necessary,” he said. “We are trying to live with it, without getting too far, getting too carried away. We're just doing what is necessary.”
The holders opened their campaign with a comfortable 4-1 victory against Australia, and have progressed to the final with some impressive football.
Who is high up the table in club earnings in the France squad? All can be revealed in the gallery above. To view the next image, just swipe.
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FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
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