Bien Valbuena

The French cruised through the group stages with two emphatic wins and a draw to top Group E with 7 points. They face Nigeria in the last 16 stage tonight and will be hoping for a victory to take them through to the quarterfinals. France are in top form after a 3-0 win against Honduras and a 5-2 win against Switzerland. Coach Didier Deschamps rested most of the regulars against their final game against Ecuador, where they only managed a goalless draw.

Striker Karim Benzema excelled for Les Bleus with 3 goals in the first 2 matches. Although, attacking midfielder Mathieu Valbuena has been crucial for them in the competition so far. His pace and trickery caused havoc in the opposition defences of both Honduras and Switzerland. His importance for the team was justified by the fact that he was rested against Ecuador, with the French already having qualified for the knockout stage by then.

The 29 year old, who is a regular starter for his club Marseille in the French Ligue 1 has been capped 36 times for the national team. He plays as an attacking midfielder and can also play as a winger. He is known for his ability to dribble and create spaces. His small stature makes him very mobile and quick.

His performances in the first two matches against Honduras and Switzerland were electric and had a starring impact on France’s results. He was one of the five different scorers in the 5-2 rout of Switzerland and played an important role in the other goals.

He will surely start against Nigeria and will be relied upon for creativity in attack. If he and the likes of Benzema, Matuidi and Giroud can replicate their performances in the group stage, Nigeria are in for a difficult evening.