So, the children, we didn’t have that one, but then we totally saw it coming! By announcing the list of 25 players selected to play in the next Euro in Germany (June 14-July 14), Didier Deschamps surprised even the most placid French supporters by recalling… tambourine roll… N’Golo Kanté!
However, by settling into the TF1 auditorium, a few meters from the set of the 8 p.m. news where “Dédé” announced his list, on Thursday, we expected at most to “vibrate” with the call of the Parisian Bradley Barcola – who will be well on the trip –, he who had never been selected for the France A team until then. But we never thought we would have the thrill of 10,000 and stars in our eyes imagining the darling of the French of 2018 returning to the forefront.
A Saudi exile finally pays off
Left to take up mesh (and a little rest) in Saudi Arabia in June 2023, near Al-Ittihad Club, with Karim Benzema, the former Chelsea all-terrain recuperator seemed destined to enjoy a quiet early retirement, at the cool, under the infernal darkness of Jeddah. But think about it! More was obviously needed for Didier Deschamps, although he was not used to looking under the skirts of players exiled in exotic championships, even though he admitted at a press conference that he did not have a “radical position” on the subject. Yeah…
But the Basque coach has long elevated pragmatism to the rank of martial art and, with the big question mark surrounding Aurélien Tchouaméni, victim of a stress fracture in the metatarsal (left foot) during the semi-final back against Bayern, the coach seems to fear lacking impact in recovery. It must be said that the other called-up midfielders (Rabiot, Camavinga, Fofana and Zaire-Emery) do not have, for some, the profile, and for others not the legitimacy or even the level to be a starter. This is how Kanté came back from nowhere.
“His last selection was in June 2022. What followed was much more complicated for him with a serious injury, he played very little, which prevented him from being part of the squad for the World Cup,” detailed The fields. But he had a good season again, we followed him, he played many, many matches. This is why today, I consider that the France team will be stronger with N’Golo. »
“He will have the place he deserves,” warns DD
If he tried to make us swallow that the Saudi championship had nothing to envy of the European games – to others, Didier – the coach assures to be confident in the capacity of his other darling, after Grizou, to “raise his level of play” this summer. “He was in reserve for the Republic. But to claim to come back with us, something concrete was needed, and his season materializes that,” he said.
It now remains to be seen with what role and what status. On this point, Deschamps does not have the slightest gray hair. “I know NG very well, no matter the situation, there is never a problem. She’s an angel, everyone likes her. I can tell you that he is happy to be with us. But he has no guarantee, he will get the place he deserves. Obviously he has a status and that carries weight, but it’s NG. It’s okay, it’s okay all the time. » We’re still really looking forward to seeing that.