France coach Didier Deschamps said the defending champions have “a lot of respect” for Denmark after the teams were drawn in the same World Cup group on Friday.”You have to have a lot of respect. They are the 11th-ranked FIFA team, semi-finalists at the Euros and if they are ahead of Germany and the Netherlands, it proves the quality of this team.”France coach Didier Deschamps wanted to take the trophy back with him 😅#LLL🧡🇪🇦⚽️ pic.twitter.com/egKhDNEWgb— La Liga Lowdown 🧡🇪🇸⚽️ (@LaLigaLowdown) April 1, 2022 France and Denmark will be familiar rivals as they also meet in the Nations League in June and September before the World Cup starts in November. Deschamps says that’s hardly ideal.”They too will have the advantage of knowing us even better, even if these two meetings, one in June, one in September in the Nations League, are not the same thing.”Qatar 2022: African teams land favourable groups in World Cup DrawThe teams met in the 2002 World Cup when Denmark shocked the defending champions 2-0 in South Korea, a defeat which meant an embarrassing first-round exit for the French.England manager Gareth Southgate is also wary of the little time he will have to prepare his squad for the tournament. The Three Lions will face Iran on the opening day of the tournament in Qatar on November 21, just eight days after the final Premier League games before the international break for the World Cup begins.🇩🇪 Hansi Flick 🤝 Gareth Southgate 🏴 #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/jU89oZmm0z— A Spor (@aspor) April 1, 2022 England will also face the USA and potentially a British derby against Scotland or Wales should either of those sides see off Ukraine in a playoff. The playoff semi-final between Scotland and Ukraine has been delayed until June due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”For us, we’re in on day one so it’s quite clear now what our programme looks like for the end of the Premier League season and getting out here as quickly as possible.”
