France train ahead of friendly with World Cup hosts Russia

  /  autty

Paul Pogba was at the heart of the action as the midfielder trained with his France team-mates at Clairefontaine on Sunday afternoon.

The Manchester United midfielder showed off his ball skills, joked around with his team-mates and was spotted deep in conversation France assistant Guy Stephan.

Pogba put club rivalries aside as he embraced Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud at one point as he appeared in good spirits during the session.

Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe and Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann were present as France displayed their formidable attacking talent on Sunday.

Monaco winger and Arsenal target Thomas Lemar, Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele and Tottenham No 1 Hugo Lloris were also training as manager Didier Deschamps' watched on.

France are looking to shake off the disappointment of Friday's friendly, when they threw away a two-goal lead to lose to Columbia, as they prepare to face World Cup hosts Russia on Tuesday evening.

Deschamps' men went 2-0 up in Paris thanks to goals from Giroud and Lemar but Columbia hit back through Luis Muriel and Lemar's Monaco team-mate Radamel Falcao.

A composed Juan Quintero penalty then completed a remarkable turnaround for the South American side at the Stade de France.

Pogba featured as a 65th-minute substitute but Arsenal centre back Laurent Koscielny remained on the bench along with Anthony Martial.

Giroud described France's second-half collapse against Columbia as like a 'slap' and hoped it served to warn them against complacency.

'A football game is always two halves,' the Chelsea man said after the match. 'We can't become relaxed and too confident.

'Especially on the important things we have during a football game of such high intensity: engagement, aggressiveness, determination. Those are essential things to succeed.

'I hope this slap during the second half will be a warning to us to bounce - and to do that before Tuesday.'

Giroud and Co will take on Russia at the Krestovsky Stadium in St Petersburg, home to Zenit St Petersburg and one of the grounds in use at the 2018 World Cup.

Les Bleus have been drawn against Peru, Denmark and Australia in Group C at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

France are bidding to clinch the Jules Rimet trophy 20 years on from their last and only tournament success, as the host nation in 1998.

Related: Arsenal Chelsea Manchester United Monaco Paris Saint-Germain France Atletico Madrid Giroud Griezmann Pogba Lemar Mbappe
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