‘Helpful’: Socceroos boosted by French Ballon d’Or winner’s cup withdrawal

“They are world-class players and are at the top of their games in Europe. That’s obviously what we aspire to. But once we cross that line, it’s just a human against another human. That’s a positive, being Australian and having that mentality.”

Not just any Australian, but a Tasmanian. If he starts on Tuesday, which is likely, Atkinson will be the first from his state to represent Australia at the World Cup. “It probably won’t sink in until I’m back home in my bedroom, thinking about it,” he said. “Coming from the little state of Tasmania, I just want to make my family proud.”

If not Benzema, Atkinson could find himself face-to-face with Paris St Germain superstar Kilian Mbappe. He does most days anyway, in giant images even at the Socceroos training base in Doha and on the cover of the FIFA video game squad members are playing to pass their spare time at their Aspire Academy base.

“I’ve got him in my Ultimate Team as well,” Atkinson said. “When you look at it, there’s Mbappe, but there’s alway Sammy Kerr on the cover, too.

“You look at it both ways, and think what Sam Kerr’s doing for Australian football and it shows what Australia is on the world map of football.”

On face value it is good news for Graham Arnold’s Australian side, who are rank outsiders to beat France, and will be hoping the French’s injury dramas could be the another instance of the infamous curse of the World Cup holders. The last three reigning champions, Italy (2006), Spain (2010) and Germany (2014) all failed to get out of their group in the following edition.

But the reality is Les Bleus, despite speculation over a fractured dressing room and question marks over their recent form, still boast incredible attacking firepower in the form of Mbappe, Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele, Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann, Bayern Munich’s Kingsley Coman, and AC Milan’s Olivier Giroud.

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