The Azerbaijani national team must remain vigilant in the opening minutes of their away match against France in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Former national team coach Arif Asadov told Report that he wishes success to the team and head coach Aykhan Abbasov in the upcoming two matches:
"Our national team will face two tough games. The first match is against the French team. What are the expectations here? The main thing is not to be intimidated by the opponent. We expect determination, high spirits, and good performance from our players."
Asadov noted that France is the clear favorite in the upcoming match:
"This is obvious to everyone. What matters is that we do not fear the opponent. We need to be especially careful in the opening minutes. Of course, expecting a win would be unrealistic. It is important for the team to demonstrate a good performance."
Regarding the historic France-Azerbaijan match in 1995 (10:0), the 55-year-old veteran chose not to dwell on it:
"Thirty years have passed since that match. Football changes, everything evolves over time. Let’s not recall that game. Let’s think positively and hope our team performs well and makes us proud."
It is noted that Azerbaijan will face France on October 10 in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The match will take place at the Parc des Princes stadium at 22:45 Baku time.
