'The upcoming force in international football is France. You find top quality players in France now like you did in Brazil 20 years ago.'
Strong words from Arsene Wenger, but certainly a statement you can believe. After narrowly missing out at their home European Championships last year, Didier Deschamps' side have their eyes focused firmly on the World Cup trophy in Russia.
One team hunting them down and themselves in with a fine shot of the 2018 title is Spain, and the two sides come to blows in a glamour friendly on Tuesday night.
The depth of the talent pool in both countries is quite astounding, and Sportsmail have put together two starting XIs made up of players who missed out on a place in the most recent squad.