France coach Didier Deschamps promised Friday his team would be able to adapt to the potential impact of extreme weather on their World Cup last-16 tie against Paraguay on Saturday as a brutal heatwave hits the northeastern United States.
The sides are due to meet Saturday in Philadelphia, the same time as the city celebrates the 250th anniversary of American independence, and with weather warnings in place in the area due to the conditions.
“We knew it would be very hot. I think tomorrow it will be a little cooler than today, and I hope there are no storms this time,” Deschamps told reporters at Lincoln Financial Field, where Saturday’s game will take place.
France have already played in Philadelphia during the group stage, and their 3-0 win over Iraq was interrupted for two hours as a storm passed overhead.
“It is something we need to take into account, but I think every team has prepared for it. It can have an impact on all the teams,” said Deschamps.
“This will be our fifth game at the tournament and that will have an impact as well, but I am not fixated on the heat.”
Global players union FIFPro had warned during last year’s Club World Cup in the United States of the potential dangers for players of playing in extreme conditions.
The Pennsylvania city sweltered in temperatures of 38 degrees Celsius (101 Fahrenheit) on Friday, with the US National Weather Service having a warning for extreme heat in place until Saturday evening.
The match is scheduled to kick off at 5:00 pm local time (2100 GMT).
“We are aware that the weather will be really tough tomorrow but it is a disadvantage for both teams so we just need to handle it,” said France’s Desire Doue.
Les Bleus, who have a full squad available for the game with the exception of the unfit Marcus Thuram, have probably been the most impressive team so far at the tournament.
– ‘Like an electrical storm’ –
They have won all four games and scored a total of 13 goals, netting at least three in every match. Kylian Mbappe alone has scored six goals.
“France are like an electrical storm. We need to be aware that the storm is coming and try to be prepared for the lightning bolts,” said Gustavo Alfaro, the Argentinian coach of Paraguay.
“We are used to the heat, and of course we have to suffer with it. You would never play a World Cup game at 5:00 pm in Paraguay, and if we did we might lose, but it’s like when you go to Quito (to play Ecuador), and you have to be ready for the altitude.”
Paraguay got to this stage with a shock victory on penalties against Germany in the last round. Another surprise win against France would send them through to the quarter-finals for just the second time, following their run to the last eight in 2010.
“What we did then was fantastic and can serve as a great example to us, but we have come to write our own history,” said Alfaro.
His side are rank outsiders for this game — they are 41st in the FIFA rankings, 38 places behind France, and only finished sixth in South American World Cup qualifying.
Their first game at the tournament was a heavy 4-1 loss to co-hosts the United States, but a subsequent win over Turkey and a draw with Australia allowed them to reach the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed sides.
“A year and nine months ago this team had no chance of reaching the World Cup, we had five points from a possible 18 in qualifying, and we lost all our games at the Copa America,” added Alfaro.
“But we came here to compete, and we beat Germany when we apparently had no chance of going through.
“It is a privilege to be able to take part in these games. Big teams might accept playing a friendly against us, but this is not a friendly.
“I don’t feel any pressure, but that does not mean I don’t want to win.”
