The mind games have already begun.
Antoine Griezmann’s claims to be ‘half-Uruguayan’ were slapped down by Luis Suarez who told him, in no uncertain terms, that he ‘doesn’t know what it is to feel Uruguayan’.
But it’s not a nibble to the scapula that Griezmann needs to fear when France meet Uruguay in the World Cup quarter-finals.
It’s coming face-to-face with The Best Defender In World Football™, Diego Godin.
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Godin has established an uncompromising international partnership with Atletico Madrid team-mate Jose Gimenez which has flourished at the World Cup.
Mohamed Salah, Cristiano Ronaldo and the entire Russian XI all tried and failed to breach the Godin/Gimenez wall during this tournament.
Now it’s the turn of Griezmann and co to give it a crack, although history isn’t on the 27-year-old’s side.
Griezmann has come up against Godin on seven occasions as a Real Sociedad player, winning once and losing the other six game.
The Frenchman failed to find the back of the net in any of those matches before joining his nemesis at Atletico in 2014.
Bleak.
If only there was a celebration to sum up Griezmann’s collective experiences…
Griezmann hadn’t been capped by France in 2013 so wasn’t around to see Suarez score the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win for Uruguay the last time the sides met.
So Godin, who is godfather to Griezmann’s daughter, appears to have the upper hand heading into the encounter.
But Cristiano Ronaldo showed that fortune doesn’t always favour defenders when he scored a hat-trick past Real Madrid team-mates Sergio Ramos and Nacho in Portugal’s 3-3 draw with Spain.
Golden boot winner in waiting Harry Kane would have done the same to Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen if Gareth Southgate hadn’t made the inspired decision to rest him against Belgium.
To completely go against what we’ve just said, Samuel Umtiti came out on the winning side when he squared off against Barcelona colleague Lionel Messi, although the French defence did ship three goals.
To be honest, we’re currently in the midst of a two-day World Cup break and we’re completely losing our heads.
We just want to see some football again. Anything. Please.