They have had great success but we can't be afraid

KENNY URGES HIS BOYS IN GREEN TO HAVE BELIEF

- PAUL O’HEHIR

TAKING on France is the “biggest challenge you can face” in European football but Stephen Kenny is ready for it. 

Les Bleus are picking up the pieces after the heartbreak of losing the World Cup final on penalties to Argentina.

They were striving to win back-to-back crowns having been top of the pile in Russia 2018 but Lionel Messi wasn’t letting anything get in his way this time.

Long-serving France captain Hugo Lloris has quit international football on the back of their Qatar disappointment.

So has Manchester United defender Raphael Varane while Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema is no longer involved after a major pre-World Cup bust-up with manager Didier Deschamps.

Juventus star Paul Pogba misses the game in Dublin tomorrow week because of injury, as do Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante and Ousmane Dembele of Barcelona.

But Ireland boss Kenny reckons the French conveyor belt is just so relentless at churning out talent that France won’t be weakened at Aviva Stadium.