“Kicked Ass”
France’s gigantic World Cup gossip is still having an effect
8/26/2023 7:16 am
Behind the USA, France’s basketball players are traded as the big World Cup favorites – until they suffer a hearty defeat. Things are already looking bad for the finals. Even four wins from the four other games in the preliminary and intermediate rounds could not be enough given the gossip
NBA professional Evan Fournier found clear words after France’s basketball collapse. “They kicked our ass,” Fournier commented on the clear 65:95 defeat of the European Vice Champion against the strong Canadians at the start of the World Cup. After two World Championship bronze medals in a row, the adventure in Southeast Asia could end quickly this time. If there is no victory against Latvia on Sunday (3.30 p.m. / Magentasport), a completely unexpected preliminary round in Jakarta for Fournier, Rudy Gobert and Co. is almost sealed.
“We need to play a lot better. We need to recover and refocus. We lost by 30 points but we’re still a great team. We need to bounce back in the next game,” said Fournier. The ensemble, led by three NBA professionals, was traded as the second-biggest favorite behind Olympic champions USA before the start of the World Cup – and has now been disenchanted by Canada with the outstanding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The superstar had 27 points and 13 rebounds.
It was France’s heaviest World Cup defeat since May 1963. Vincent Collet’s team put themselves in an early predicament en route to the finals in Manila. Even four wins from the four other games in the preliminary and intermediate rounds could not be enough in view of the 30-point defeat – namely if there were a three-way comparison with Canada and world champions Spain. First, two teams from a preliminary round group of four reach the intermediate round. In this, two out of four teams make it to the quarter-finals. Spain, Canada and France are then possible opponents of Germany.