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France and Uruguay will lock horns in the first quarterfinal of the 2018 FIFA World Cup on Friday.
France made their way into the last eight by beating Argentina in the Round of 16 and Uruguay came out on top against Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal to seal a Quarterfinal berth.
The two sides have met thrice previously at World Cup finals with two games ending in a draw and one resulting in Uruguayan victory.
France entered the tournament as one of the favourites to win the World Cup whereas Uruguay has been surprising the spectators with their strong defensive performances as they have conceded only one goal in four matches.
The game promises to be a thrilling encounter between a strong French attacking lineup and a solid Uruguayan defence.
The French possess a plethora of attacking options that include Antoine Griezmann. Olivier Giroud, Ousmane Dembele and 19-year-old Kylian Mbappé who scored a brace against Argentina.
Uruguay, on the other hand, suffered a major setback after their clinical performance against Portugal as their in-form striker Edinson Cavani suffered a hamstring problem and is doubtful to feature in Friday's Quarter Final clash against France.
We shall now take a look at five key players that will play a crucial role in the all-important encounter between Uruguay and France.
#5 Diego Godin (Uruguay)
The 32-year-old Uruguayan skipper has been playing for the national side since 2005 and has made 121 appearances for La Celeste.
The centre-back was a part of the Uruguayan side that finished fourth at the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the team that won the Copa America in 2011.
Godin currently plays for Spanish club Atletico Madrid and has been a vital part of the squad. With his club side, he has won a La Liga title, two Europa League titles and has finished as runner-up twice in the UEFA Champions League.
He is considered as the backbone of defence for both his club and national side as his presence of mind while defending set pieces is second to none. He also has the ability to initiate counter attacks by delivering long balls into the opposition half and is himself an aerial threat in the opposition box.
At the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Godin has featured in all of Uruguay's matches and will surely play a critical role when his side goes up against France on Friday.
#4 N'Golo Kanté (France)
N'Golo Kanté made his international debut in March 2016 against The Netherlands in a 3-2 win at Amsterdam Arena.
He was selected in the French squad for the 2016 UEFA Euro and appeared in his first competitive match on 10th June 2016 in France's opening game against Romania and assisted Dimitri Payet's winning goal in a 2-1 victory. He was unused in the final which France lost 1-0 to Portugal in extra time.
Kanté currently plays for Premier League side Chelsea after signing for the London based club in 2016.
He was a part of the Leicester City squad that won the historic league title in the 2015-16 season and became the first player since Eric Cantona in 1993 to win back‑to-back top-flight titles in England with two different clubs as he once again won the league title with Chelsea in 2017.
The 27-year-old defensive midfielder has been described a dynamic, diminutive and hard-working player with an extraordinary level of energy.
He has excellent ball holding ability in the midfield and plays a vital role in initiating attacking moves. Aside from his playing ability Kanté has also been praised for his discipline by Chelsea manager Antonio Conte.
At the 2018 FIFA World Cup Kanté has played every minute in France's four games till now and will be a key member of the French squad in Friday's Quarter Final clash against Uruguay.
#3 Luis Suarez (Uruguay)
Suarez made his international debut in February 2007 against Colombia in a 3-1 victory in which he was sent off in the 85th minute as he received a second yellow card for dissent.
He has since appeared for La Celeste in all major tournaments and won the 2011 edition of Copa America in which he was named best player of the tournament.
The 31-year-old striker currently plays for Catalan club FC Barcelona and won the historic treble with the club in his first season.
He has made 198 appearances for the Blaugrana in a span of four seasons scoring a whopping 152 goals and winning 11 titles. In the 2015-16 season, he scored 40 league goals and won the European Golden shoe and Pichichi, becoming the first player other than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to do so since 2009.
Suarez has a remarkable technical ability and creates goal scoring chances with powerful shots. He is praised for his work rate and quickness that allows him to attack from outside the box.
He is not only a goal poacher but also a playmaker who plays a vital role in setting up his teammates with goal scoring opportunities.
His 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign had a disappointing start as he missed many goal-scoring opportunities in the opening game against Egypt but in the next game against Saudi Arabia he scored the only goal of the match and has since found his form as he scored another in the final group game against Russia and provided an assist to his strike partner Edinson Cavani in the Round of 16 tie.
#2 Kylian Mbappé (France)
The teenage prodigy made his senior international debut just last year and has since appeared for Les Bleus on 19 occasions, scoring seven goals.
He was called up to the French squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and scored his first World Cup goal in France's 1-0 victory over Peru. By doing so he became the youngest French goalscorer at the World Cup at age 19.
Mbappé played three seasons with Ligue 1 side Monaco and won the 2016-17 league title with them. He transferred to Paris Saint-Germain last year on loan and once again won the league title. He made 44 appearances for the Parisian club and scored 21 goals in the 2017-18 season.
He has been described as a "huge football talent" by former Arsenal manager Arséne Wenger who also compared the 19-year-old to the legendary French striker Thierry Henry. His pace and dribbling skills are widely praised and comparisons have also been drawn with the Brazilian Ronaldo for his style of play.
Mbappé is the second youngest player at this summer's mega-event and has already made his mark at football's greatest stage after scoring three goals in four games of which two came in the Round of 16 tie against Argentina.
He will be a definite threat for the Uruguayan defence on Friday and will play a pivotal role for his side.
#1 Antoine Griezmann (France)
The 27-year-old forward made his debut for the senior French side in March 2014 in a 2-0 victory against The Netherlands.
He was selected by French head coach Didier Deschamps for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil where he featured in all of France's games till they were eliminated from the Quarter Finals.
Griezmann rose to prominence for his performance at the 2016 UEFA Euro where he scored six goals for eventual runners-up France and won the Golden Boot.
He currently plays for La Liga side Atletico Madrid where he has scored 112 goals in 209 appearances over a span of four seasons.
Griezmann won the 2017-18 UEFA Europa League with Atletico Madrid and scored a brace in the final against Olympique de Marseille. On 19 June 2018, he signed a contract extension at Atletico Madrid until 2023.
He is described as a quick, modern and versatile left-footed forward who works hard for his team.
Griezmann is considered a team player who can occupy several offensive positions in or behind the main attacking line.
In addition to his ability to both score and create goals, he has also been praised for his work-rate, attacking movement, positional sense, and ability to interpret the game.
At the 2018 FIFA World Cup, he has appeared for the French team in all four games and has scored two goals.
He will be a vital part of the French attacking lineup on Friday against Uruguay and will try to take his side one step closer to the World Cup glory.
Which of these players will have the biggest impact on the game? Sound off your opinions in the comments section below!
