PARIS \u2013 France centre-back William Saliba said his side are not intimidated by facing reigning champions Argentina or European holders Spain at the 2026 World Cup and believe they can overcome any rival.<\/p>\n
France finished as the runners-up at the 2022 World Cup, losing to Argentina on penalties in a pulsating final widely regarded as one of the greatest matches in the tournament\u2019s history.<\/p>\n
Spain, meanwhile, enter the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, as one of the favourites, having clinched the 2024 European Championship after knocking out France in the semi-finals.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe World Cup is eight months away. Spain and Argentina have won the last two major competitions, that\u2019s true. But we’re not afraid of them. I hope we qualify and get our revenge at the World Cup,\u201d Saliba told reporters ahead of the World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan on Oct 10.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the greatest competition in football. Everyone wants to be there. There\u2019s nothing higher than that. That\u2019s all we\u2019re waiting for.\u201d<\/p>\n
Finalists at the last two Euro, England, took a more cautious approach, with England manager Thomas Tuchel saying: \u201cWe will arrive as underdogs in the World Cup because we haven\u2019t won it for decades, and we will play against teams who have repeatedly won it during that time.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019ve never won Wimbledon you are maybe one of the favourites but you are not the favourite… There is Brazil, there is Argentina, Spain, France and they just did it recently… I don\u2019t see why we should burden ourselves that we are the big favourites. When did we last win it?\u201d<\/p>\n
France lead Group D in their World Cup qualifiers with six points from two matches. They host Azerbaijan, who sit bottom of the group, at the Parc des Princes before travelling to Reykjavik to face second-placed Iceland three days later.<\/p>\n
Saliba, who missed France\u2019s opening qualifiers against Ukraine and Iceland due to injury, is eager to contribute as he eyes his 29th cap for the Les Bleus.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always a bit annoying to be injured. Competition is fierce in the French team. I\u2019m back today. We\u2019ll see how it goes. But I\u2019ll have to be good when the coach needs me,\u201d the Arsenal defender said.<\/p>\n
Over in Africa, Egypt sauntered into the Finals with a 3-0 win over Djibouti on Oct 8, becoming the third African side to book their place, while the Cape Verde Islands and Ghana both took a step closer to joining them.<\/p>\n
Mohamed Salah scored twice after Ibrahim Adel opened the scoring as Egypt beat the small Red Sea nation in Casablanca to take top place in Group A, ahead of Burkina Faso who won 1-0 away over Sierra Leone.<\/p>\n
Egypt, who have been to three previous World Cups, have an unassailable 23 points in an unbeaten campaign and join the already qualified Morocco and Tunisia in North America.<\/p>\n
Tiny Cape Verde will have to wait five more days, however, before getting a last chance to secure a first-ever World Cup spot after they drew 3-3 away in a thrilling Group D encounter in Libya.<\/p>\n
Ghana, who reached the quarter-finals in 2010, maintained their three-point advantage over Madagascar in Group I as they beat the Central African Republic 5-0 in Meknes, while the Malagasy won 2-1 over the Comoros Islands amid a torrential downpour in Abidjan.<\/p>\n
Ghana only need a point from their last group fixture home to Comoros in Accra on Oct 12 after defender Mohammed Salisu headed them into the lead in the 20th minute and Thomas Partey, Alexander Djiku, Jordan Ayew and Kamaldeen Sulemana added more in the second half.<\/p>\n
Cape Verde should have won in Tripoli in stoppage time, and secured a fairy-tale World Cup spot, but were denied by a wrong offside call when they had four players clear on a counter-attack in the last minute.<\/p>\n
But they will become the second-smallest nation to qualify for a World Cup if they beat Eswatini at home on Oct 13. REUTERS<\/p>\n
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