2018 World Cup Team of the Tournament: France left-back Hernandez secures spot

France arguably had the best squad of players at the 2018 World Cup but it was thought teams would be able to hurt the eventual winners in-behind their full-backs. Fitness concerns surrounding Benjamin Mendy and Djibril Sidibe forced Didier Deschamps to play two natural centre-backs on the flanks.

Despite being earmarked as potential weak points for France, Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez performed solidly in Russia. The former scored a goal of the tournament contender, while the latter performed diligently at both ends of the pitch.  

France kept more clean sheets than any other country at the 2018 World Cup (4), suggesting Deschamps’ replacements did more than enough to warrant their place in the team, with Hernandez earning a place in the WhoScored Team of the Tournament.

Hernandez’s performances were perhaps overshadowed by his theatrics, but he was still key for Les Bleus. He was fouled more times any other defender (15), but has admitted to exaggerating on occasions in order to get decisions in his favour.

The 22-year-old’s ability to win free-kicks proved particularly useful for France, as they scored five times from set-pieces, while also benefitting from an own goal in Sunday’s final from a deadball position.

Hernandez left set-pieces to his Atletico team-mate Antoine Griezmann, but did still manage to weigh in with two assists in seven appearances. He provided the cross from which Pavard scored against Argentina in their 4-3 win in the quarter-finals, before assisting France’s last goal in their 4-2 victory over Croatia in the World Cup final.

Out of possession, the Frenchman also won more aerial duels (12) and made more tackles (16) and clearances (18) than any other right-back at the 2018 World Cup.