For the France team and all the other selections, this Euro 2021 represents a huge challenge. First, the management of the health crisis and its constraints (tests, strict health bubble, etc.). And then there are the trips imposed by this formula desired by Michel Platini, former UEFA boss, with meetings scattered in 11 European countries. For the players and the forty or so people (technical, medical, cook, etc.) in the selection, taking the plane is simple. But be careful not to leave anything in your luggage. This was notably the mission of the team manager Philippe Brocherieux and the liaison and security officer Mohamed Sanhadji.
In a more classic format like in Russia in 2018, the Blues elect a base camp, a kind of local Clairefontaine, allowing them to be at home. For this Euro, it was necessary to juggle between the real Clairefontaine and two first trips to Munich (Germany) and Budapest (Hungary). Without forgetting the rest of the competition and its multiple possibilities: Bucharest (Romania), London (United Kingdom), Seville (Spain) and even Saint Petersburg (Russia) or Baku (Azerbaijan) for a potential quarter-final. These last two destinations notably require visas.
In Hungary, where Kylian Mbappé and his teammates will stay for seven days in a row, meet in Gardony, a town west of the capital. It was not, however, the first choice of the blue staff. A first training ground had been spotted before the host club qualified in the spring for the preliminary rounds of the European cups. Plan A falls apart. Make way for plan B. The advantage of the latter is that it is located close to the hotel and that it will therefore prevent players from going there upstream to prepare. All the necessary amenities will be installed in a room, such as bicycles or massage tables.
Six sets of shirts per player and per match
For this specific material, everything is rented on site, trying to find the best solutions for everyone, the players and the accountants. For the balls, the Blues must adapt to a change of sponsor for the Euro, from Nike (their supplier) to Adidas (that of UEFA). The European body provides the selections with the balloons once they arrive in the base camps. The France group still needs more personal things, such as jerseys. For each match, three sets of shirts are provided per player. All in two colors, the blue for the “home” and the white for the “outside”.
But with 26 players on the list and 23 on the scoresheet, the French staff feared having to assign only 23 numbers. This would have required a rotation of number between certain players depending on who is in the stands. But UEFA ultimately granted a fixed flocking per person. The only change from the round of 16: the poster, the date and the place of the match will be inscribed on the front of the shirt. A jersey flocking machine must therefore make the trip with the group. Hoping to see her work until July 11. It means a final for the world champions. What about the official bus to reach the stadiums? The “real” remains in Paris, as is almost always the case. UEFA provides vehicles for the selections.
