The 2018 World Cup (WC) quarter-finals are set to get off to a thrilling start when Uruguay and France meet in the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium. The Euro 2016 finalists have the opportunity to reach the semi-finals of this competition for the first time since 2006.
After two straight wins against Australia (2-1) and Peru (1-0), the French were held to a goalless draw by Denmark, finishing top of Group C and conceding just once. In the round-of-16, coach Didier Deschamps led his men to a hard fought and exciting 4-3 win over Argentina and secured a spot in the quarter-finals.
The Uruguayans finished top of Group A, after three straight wins - without conceding a single goal. Defeating Portugal 2-1 in their round-of-16 game, thanks to a brace by Edinson Cavani, Óscar Tabárez’s men are one win away from getting Uruguay to the WC semi-finals for the second time in three WC tournaments.
In eight previous meetings with Uruguay in all competitions, France have a poor record that currently stands at: W1, D4, L3, and have a negative H2H goal difference of minus four (GF4, GA8).
Players to watch: Scoring two goals against Argentina, 19-year-old French striker Kylian Mbappé became the youngest player to score a brace in a WC game since Pele.
He will go H2H with PSG teammate Edinson Cavani, who has three goals in this competition so far.
Stat attack: Six out of the sides’ eight encounters have produced less than 2.5 goals (each).
France have never won a single WC game against Uruguay (D2, L1), scoring only one goal in the process.
The South Americans are on a run of seven straight wins in all competitions, conceding just a single goal.
In all competitions, four of the last five clashes between the two sides have ended 0-0.