Why Bayern Munich's Jerome Boateng Will Be Germany's Pivotal Player vs. France

Germany visit the Stade de France on Friday in what could well be a preview of an elimination match at Euro 2016.

Joachim Low's men are defending World Cup winners, but Didier Deschamps has created a strong French side that can be expected to be among the top contenders for the title when they host the European Championships next summer.

Les Bleus are so impressive, in fact, that they've won nine of their last 14 fixtures since the World Cup, including four on the trot.

The Germans, by contrast, have struggled by their lofty standards: They've won eight of 14 games since hoisting the World Cup trophy, their record being decent but not exactly what would be expected of world champions. Die Mannschaft have conceded 17 goals during that time and kept just three clean sheets, two of which were against minnows Gibraltar.

As such, the key player for Germany in Friday's match may well be center-back Jerome Boateng, who enters the game in better form than any of his colleagues at the back in Low's squad.

Often brilliant in his career but seemingly always teetering on the edge of disaster, Mats Hummels is in a poor spell of form and, perhaps, would have been dropped at Borussia Dortmund if not for the fact that he is the club's captain. The 26-year-old has been a starter for Germany since the 2014 World Cup, but he could well be left out of Low's selection.

Either way, Boateng will have a challenge on hand. He'll either operate alongside an out-of-form defender who could well prove to be a liability in defense, or he will have to adapt quickly to having a new partner. It's something he's done very well at Bayern this season, with David Alaba, Mehdi Benatia and Javi Martinez all having lined up alongside him in central defense. 

Further complicating matters for the Germans is the fact that their starter in the right-back position still hasn't been decided since Philipp Lahm's international retirement.

Several options have been tried, with Emre Can and Matthias Ginter joining the competition during the most recent international break. The same pair will probably be tried out again in the coming days, and Boateng will have to manage with another unfamiliar defender.

Matthias Schrader/Associated Press

When Low has experimented with different defenses in the past, the results have often been disastrous. That's why Boateng's performance is so critical. Despite being only 27 years of age, he's a senior member of the team—a player who has won the World Cup and Champions League—and by many accounts, is the best center-back in world football.

Boateng's teammates will look to him to be a stabilizing force at the back against France. He and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will need to provide the leadership to keep their teammates' nerves on ice, and the organization to get the best out of the German defense.

If Boateng and the German defense can stay firm and strong at the back, it will provide the foundation for the team to do what it does best. That the German midfield and attack are laden with world-class talents is well known around the world: The likes of Thomas Muller and Bastian Schweinsteiger need no introduction.

Yet, especially given recent form, the real area in question for Germany has to be the defense. It just hasn't looked very stable since Lahm's retirement and will need to improve if Die Mannschaft are to be crowned champions of Europe next summer.

To that end, Boateng's role is absolutely vital: As a defender and leader, his performance will be critical to the Germans' chances against France on Friday.

@Mr_Bundesliga