World Cup 2018, Uruguay vs France: 5 Key Players to watch out for
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.