Qatar quarter-final will be a great spectacle for opticians supporting rival teams
It's a funny old game for customers at an opticians shop, where World Cup banter is reaching fever pitch.
Mark Moran, owner of Spex Maniax in Halesowen, reckons England has one of the best squads in the world, but fears this will count for nothing if the tactics are short-sighted.
His French assistant Severine Mahony reckons her team looks strongest on paper – but only if the players keep focus.
And with an English husband and two sons, she is prepared for a hard time whatever the result.
But one thing the two can agree on is that there will be plenty of chewed nails by the end of Saturday's game.
Severine, who moved to England as a student in 1996, says customers at the shop in Hagley Road, Hasbury, have already become accustomed to the sight of the pair in their football shirts on the days of the big matches.
The 45-year-old, who comes from the town of Niort on the west coast of France, will proudly wear her colours while on duty on Saturday morning. But Mark, who is spending the weekend in Porthmadog, jokes that he might not be able to show his face on Monday should Gareth Southgate's men come a cropper.
"I think the French are probably the best team in the world, so it is just my luck to work with a French woman who reminds me about this pretty much every day," he says.
"If we lose I think I might have another week off until she has forgotten about it - the French have short memories."
Despite his admiration for Kylian Mbappe and co, Mark says the England team could yet spring a surprise.
"I'm hopeful, but preparing for the worst," he adds. "I genuinely believe we have got the best bunch of players this country has ever produced, two teams' worth if we play to our potential and go for it.
"If we adopt the same approach as England have done with the cricket, instead of being defensive, we could beat anyone. But if we hold back, I think we will be in trouble."
Severine, who has worked in the shop for 12 years, says she is a huge football fan, and enjoys lots of lively banter with Mark.
She says in theory France should be clear favourites, but also admits to a few nerves.
"On paper we should do really well, but it's a World Cup. Spain have already gone out to Morocco, so anything can happen.
"I think England have got a very strong team this year."
