At Clairefontaine,
The ambient calm and the relaxation of the newcomers to Clairefontaine form a curious contrast with the business piling up around the France team. Note also that to the scandal at the FFF and the telenovela Paul Pogba was added a small bonus Kylian Mbappé: the Parisian striker did not take part in the photo session on Monday, the federation having refused to modify the players’ image rights agreement. The treat.
The tray of players sent to putty in front of the college of journalists did not however have enough to put a coin in the jukebox. What is the point of talking about the problems of the Blues to the skewer of enthusiastic rookies formed by Benoît Badiashile, Youssouf Fofana and Randal Kolo Muani. We will therefore be content to take advantage of the little innocence that remains in this French team.
experienced youth
Common point between the three young men, they were all as surprised as we were to see their name appear on Didier Deschamps’ list for the last League of Nations matches against Austria and Denmark. “I was quite surprised to be selected”, for the first, “I didn’t see it coming at all”, for the other two. The whole forming a mixture of surprise, modesty and ambition which one would marvel at if one did not know the presence of these boys conditioned by executives increasingly absent from this autumnal gathering.
Latest packages to date, those of Lloris and Théo Hernandez. More or less 150 selections passing through the window, presto! “There is youth but there is still experience, reassures Fofana. Camavinga is European champion, Tchouaméni has more than 100 professional games and plays for Real. Afterwards, if you talk about the lack of experience in EDF, I agree. But in terms of experience in a football match, we have what it takes. »
Duty to set an example
For one or two anecdotal encounters, that should be enough. For the World Cup, it will be something else. Provided you are there of course. What the trio considers legitimately to apply, even if Fofana prefers to calm the game by recalling that “Qatar is far”. A few thousand kilometers, yes.
For the rest, nothing to remember, except the great classics of the first press conferences. Kolo Muani: “It’s very strong to be in Blue, because you represent a nation and this nation is behind you. It’s more than a dream, it’s stronger than playing in the Champions League, largely. With great power comes great responsibility. Fofana: “We represent France, we sing the Marseillaise before playing, the fact of being exemplary doesn’t even have to be mentioned. It must be normal. “Some would benefit from being inspired by it.