Since winning Euro 2000, the French national side have lurched from the sublime to the ridiculous with alarming frequency. The oddly laboured run the 2006 World Cup final under the eccentric Raymond Domenech and the Patrice Evra led strike in 2010 bookend a volatile spectrum. Under Didier Deschamps, the man who lifted the World Cup 18 years ago, Les Bleu have begun to rebuild their reputation and provoke the same fear both the ‘84 and ‘98 vintage did in their opposition but as the tournament edges ever closer the big red button marked ‘self-destruct’ is flashing once again and the task falls to Deschamps to keep his squad united and make it a hat-trick of home wins in front of an expectant French public.

Luis Fernandez, Alain Giresse, Jean Tigana and Michel Platini. It’s Euro 84 and The Magic Square are running riot. After the crushing disappointment of a semi-final penalty loss to Germany at Spain 82 and the assault of Patrick Battiston by German keeper Harald Schumacher; France, a major footballing nation, were still without major footballing honour. But with the 84 finals came hope. Hosting for the first time since 1960, Les Bleu could count on the collaborative guile and gallic grace of Le Carre Magique, their majestic midfield diamond. Fernandez’s deft touch and pass, Tigana’s storming surges, Giresse’s razor-sharp vision and Platini’s 9 goals combined to see Michel Hidalgo’s charges tear the tournament apart to claim their first international trophy. More than three decades on, via another home win in 98, host duties once again fall to the French and the wizardry of a new quartet: Matuidi, Griezmann, Pogba and Payet.

Following a frustratingly limp quarter final exit at the last world cup, albeit to eventual winners Germany, after some initial promise, Deschamps men embarked on a tour of 18 friendlies with their hosts status guaranteeing them qualification. A mixed bag of results ensued; wins over Spain, Portugal, Germany and Holland were contrasted by defeats to Brazil, England, Albania and Belgium. Following a difficult twelve months, encompassing the horrific Paris terror attacks in November and scandals within the squad, it’s up to Deschamps to cajole this talented his new clan of magicians into the performances worthy of their nation’s previous triumphs and away from the outright implosion of which this team are still capable. The shadow of Platini, Giresse, Fernandez and Tigana, not to mention Zidane’s 98 vintage, hangs over Les Bleu.

Despite Euro 2016 being a tournament on French soil and Les Bleu’s squad, in principle, being arguably the most talented of the 24, injuries have blighted the build up and, as usual, the French have managed to manufacture significant discontent, a worryingly common set of circumstances for Les Bleu over the last 15 years. This time however, that which might affect the squad doesn’t necessarily come from within. Firstly, the Benzema-Valbuena sextape-blackmail scandal robbed Deschamps of two players who have been key in recent years as the FFF decided not to consider either in the wake of legal proceedings against Benzema. The Real Madrid forward would have undoubtedly led the line and been a key performer in Deschamp’s set up. He will be more than conspicuous by his absence

Benzema will be joined in watching the tournament from home by Real cohort and centre back Raphael Varane, a calf injury robbing him of a undoubted starting place (and the side of it’s most competent defender), Liverpool’s Mamadou Sakho, who wasn’t considered despite a ban being lifted after failed a drugs test in the build up to the tournament and Lass Diarra, also ruled out through injury, a huge disappointment after an outstanding season, continuing to shine despite being part of a poor Marseille side.

Not to mention Barcelona’s Jeremy Mathieu who had his right meniscus removed in order to be fit for the finals only for an unrelated injury to scupper his chances after making the original squad, the fact that Franck Ribery, despite his obvious quality, will also miss the finals after retiring from the international scene while in form Seville forward Kevin Gamerio, Lyon’s Alex Lacazette and Nabil Fakir (recovering from a knee injury he picked up on international duty), Nice’s Hatem Ben Arfa and St Etienne’s captain Loic Perrin failed to even make the final 23. As a result, a team comprised of absentees is starting to look as strong as their current first 11.

In a bizarre move, worsening the situation, Benzema incredibly attacked Deschamps via an interview in Spanish sports paper, Marca, last week in response to claims by Eric Cantona that the manager is ‘racist’ (which may also lead to further legal proceedings). Benzema was quoted as saying that Deschamps gave into racists in his team selection, comments which have clearly caused uproar within the squad. GFFN reported that one member of the national team said: “Why do that now, ten days before the Euros. It is us who will have to face it in the media. Today, we have a press conference. It is not Karim who will face the journalists. I do not understand the timing. He has put us in the shitter.” They go onto say that Didier Deschamps was “shocked and repulsed” by Karim Benzema’s declarations, will refuse to discuss the situation at any time and is understandably questioning the long-term future of Benzema with the national team.

Deschamps is now charged with the unenviable task of keeping the squad united and supporting his players under the immense pressure from a partisan home crowd and their notoriously fickle attitude toward their footballers. The former Chelsea man assumed managerial responsibilities for his country following the resignation of Laurent Blanc after Euro 2012, guiding Les Bleu to the quarterfinals at Brazil 2014. His management career to date has been eventful. In 2004 Deschamps steered Monaco to a surprise Champions League final appearance, dispensing with Chelsea and Real Madrid before falling to Jose Mourinho’s Porto in Gelsenkirchen. Following a disagreement with the then club president Michel Pastor, Deschamps moved to Juventus and guided them to the 2007 Serie B title in the wake of the Calciopoli scandal but he again found himself at odds with the club’s hierarchy and resigned before Juve returned to the top flight. In 2010 Deschamps coached his former club Marseille to their first Ligue 1 title in 18 years and won a hat trick of League Cups between 2010 and 2012 before taking the reigns of the national side, revitalising what had become a somewhat stale Les Bleu squad with more attacking verve and a new generation of exciting talent.

Despite Diarra’s withdrawal, much of Les Bleu’s strength comes from the midfield. The storming Blaise Matuidi will be key but much of the responsibility will be placed upon Paul Pogba. Italian football journalist James Horncastle labelled the mercurial Pogba a ‘phenomenon’, a title usually reserved for Brazil’s iconic goal-getter, Ronaldo. Exalted company to say the least but praise of which the lanky Frenchman is not undeserving. Since leaving Manchester United on a Bosman in 2012, the now 23 year old’s career has exploded with Italy’s Old Lady and is now arguably the world’s premier midfield talent. Following the exodus of Carlos Tevez, Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo from Turin, Pogba assumed the number 10 jersey and much of the creative responsibility in Max Allegri’s Juve side both as a leader and as a talismanic influence. If Les Bleu are to succeed this summer, Pogba will likely have to be at his thrilling best. Still yet to silence some detractors, this is his chance to prove that his boundless ability can translate into match winning performances on the biggest stage. This could be a pivotal moment in his career.

The space in the eleven vacated by Lass will likely be taken by Leicester’s N’golo Kante. After his move from Caen for a bargain £6.5million and an astonishing season with new the new English champions, Kante’s supreme midfield displays have deservedly played him into Deschamps’ national team setup. A tireless midfield dynamo, Kante has driven the Foxes’ counter attacking style, embodying the phrase ‘box-to-box’, leading manager Claudio Ranieri to joke that ‘One day I’m going to see him cross the ball and then finish the cross with a header himself.’ Kante has fast become integral as both a destructive and a creative force, breaking up play with his constant, dogged pressing and driving his team in attack on the counter with unerring surges forward. A ubiquitous presence for Ranieri’s side, he’s Leicester’s perpetual motion machine, but will play a slightly more restrained role for Les Bleu in front of the back four, but nonetheless he has excelled in since Diarra’s injury.

With Verane out and a miscalculation from Deschamps in including no stand by right sided centre back, Samuel Umtiti’s presence on the reserve list was ignored for Adli Rami to leapfrog into the squad and, in all likelihood, into the 11. Despite the defensive absentees, Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris as well as Patrice Evra and Bacary Sagna occupying the full back positions, provide a great deal of solidity and experience to support the make shift partnership of Rami and Laurent Koscielny. Pogba Matidui and Kante will make up an imposing midfield triumvirate with Oliver Giroud overcoming a wave of negativity from the onlooking French public to score three times in their final two friendlies to assume Benzema’s role in leading the attack. Antoine Greizmann will be at this side but with Dimitri Payet’s outstanding form and Anthony Martial’s impressive run is it still unclear as to who will be on the other, both impressing in the build up.

With arguably the most talented squad at the tournament, boasting a range of quality options in nearly every department, the fact that first-teamers such as Griezmann, Martial, Kante and Lloris are enjoying excellent seasons, while others such as Payet and Gignac continue to impress and the influence of the partisan home crowds, little less than a hat trick of triumphs will be accepted by Les Bleu’s expectant public. Given the wealth and depth of class at their disposal, this is a very real possibility. However, with Benzema’s outburst and mounting injury casualties the big red button marked ‘self-destruct’ that is so often pushed is flashing once again, it‘s up to Pogba, Griezmann and co step out of the shadow of Zidane, Platini and the magic square and claim a third successive trophy on home soil. Allez Les Bleu.