Our prediction for this Euro 2024 match:
All eyes will be on Aviva Stadium when Republic of Ireland and France face each other in a highly-anticipated EURO 2024 qualifier. France got off to a flying start to their campaign, with the team rolling over Netherlands 4-0, and, it is no wonder the bookies see them as hot favourites to win Monday’s clash. As always, a man to watch in the away team will be Kylian Mbappe, who scored a brace in the Group B opener, while Eintracht Frankfurt attacker Kolo Muani should continue to lead the line for Didier Deschamps’ team. Both William Saliba and Wesley Fofana have been left out with injuries.
Meanwhile, the Boys in Green defeated Latvia 3-2 in a friendly, but they will have a much bigger fish to fry against France. Since les Tricolores looked sharp in front of goal against the Oranje, away win should be considered. As for the home team, Everton right-back Seamus Coleman is a major doubt, while both Josh Cullen and Jason Knight are pushing for recalls after the duo was rested in the warm-up game.
Highlighted Player (Kylian Mbappé):
Kylian Mbappe is a French footballer who plays for Paris Saint-Germain as a forward. The French rising star began his youth career at AS Bondy and in 2013 he moved to AS Monaco. After making 12 appearances for Monaco B, Kylian Mbappe made his debut for the senior team in 2015. Mbappe quickly established himself as a regular goalscorer, with the teenager finding the net 15 times in 29 appearances in the Ligue 1 in the 2016/2017 season.
In 2017 he moved to fellow French club PSG on loan, with the option of making the deal permanent. Kylian Mbappe scored 13 goals in 27 appearances for les Parisiens in the 2017/2018 and it has to be noted that Unai Emery’s troops eventually won the national championship.
Speaking of his international career, Mbappe played an important role for France at the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals, with the pacey rising star scoring a brace in a thrilling 4-3 win over Argentina in the last 16 of the showpiece tournament. The PSG attacker was born in Paris on December 20, 1998.
Highlighted Team (Ireland):
Competing as an independent entity since 1953, Republic of Ireland have struggled to match the world’s best national teams ever since, although they did achieve several respectable results on the road. Their best ever result, the 1990 World Cup quarter-final, was achieved with a big smile from Lady Luck seeing that the Irish reached the last eight without winning a single match.
They have since reached the last 16 stage at the 1994 and 2002 tournaments, while only qualifying for three European Championship finals (1988, 2012, 2016). The Irish were in the top 10 of the FIFA Rankings in 1993 and 1994, but have failed to repeat the success in the next twenty odd years, and it appears they are no closer to bridging the gap behind European powerhouses.
Robbie Keane holds the record for most national team caps and goals at the same time, having bagged 67 in 143 appearances, whereas Niall Quinn, Steve Staunton, Damien Duff, Tony Cascarino and Don Givens are some of the other star players.