They are only eleven. Eleven 2018 world champions, out of 23, who will try to keep the Grail in Qatar. A very slight minority since, before the rule authorized 26, it was 23 players who went to win in Russia. In four years, a little more than half of the France team has therefore changed. What about the others? Umtiti, Rami, Sidibé, Mendy, Pogba, Tolisso, Kanté, Matuidi, Nzonzi, Lemar, Fekir and Thauvin all had varying fortunes.
Samuel Umtiti, a star for a knee. The story is known but it is still so sad. In 2018, Samuel Umtiti will have played the World Cup with a delicate knee. A double-edged decision: on the tails side, the one who was then a potential holder at Barça was decisive in the conquest of the world title; on the face side, he never regained his level, had multiple long injuries and is struggling today to get back on the side of Lecce in Serie A (Italy). At only 28 years old, if he is far from the end of his history with football, he is unfortunately somewhat forgotten.
Adil Rami, replaced by the new generation. The presence of Adil Rami in the French group in 2018 was already a singularity. His communicative good humor and his role as a binder in the locker room of the Blues will have finally made him a sympathetic character, but who has not stood the test of time. In 2018, Rami was already 32 years old. Since then, boys like Jules Koundé, Ibrahima Konaté, William Saliba or Dayot Upamecano have emerged and taken his place. After short galleys in Turkey and then in Russia, Rami is now playing at ESTAC in Ligue 1 at the age of 36. He will also be a consultant for TF1 during the World Cup.
Djibril Sidibé, a broken promise. In a position where France is however sorely lacking in strength, the right side Djibril Sidibé has never managed to win. In 2018, he is already the understudy of the new kid Benjamin Pavard. After the World Cup, he also gradually lost his place at AS Monaco before leaving at the end of this summer, free of any contract. Now 30, he plays for AEK Athens.
Benjamin Mendy, disgrace. The story of the Manchester City side, still under contract with the English club until 2023, is, unfortunately, the best known. Accused by seven women of several rapes, attempted rapes and sexual assaults, he is currently on trial after spending several months in prison between the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022. He has not played a football match since August 15, 2021.
Paul Pogba, injuries. This World Cup would have been an opportunity for Paul Pogba to revive, finally. After a summer rotten by an injury which finally cost him this place in Qatar, but also and above all after the last few weeks disturbed by the case concerning him and involving his brother Mathias, indicted in mid-September for extortion in an organized gang in against him. Paul Pogba has not played in an official match since the end of April, with Manchester, and has only worn the Juventus jersey, which he joined this summer, for only 45 short minutes in a friendly.
Corentin Tolisso, a return without effect. Some will say that Corentin Tolisso made the right choice this summer, returning to Olympique Lyonnais where it all started for him. Drowned under competition at Bayern Munich, the midfielder was able to find a good place there. With the carnage in the midfield, the one who was already hoping to find the Blues in September could feed the dream of a call-up, like at Euro 2021. It ultimately did not take place.
N’Golo Kanté, the cracked pillar. Without an operation following a hamstring injury and a long-term package, N’Golo Kanté would have held his place for the World Cup and would not have hurt a devastated Blues midfielder. the paper. But the Chelsea pocket midfielder, who has not dropped in level since 2018 and was even the great architect of the Blues’ Champions League conquest in 2021, will not be able to hold his position. It is a real talisman who flies away for the Blues: in 53 selections since 2016, Kanté has only lost… 6 games with the Blues.
Blaise Matuidi, almost retired? The former PSG midfielder is not yet officially retired. But since the end of last season in MLS, the player is no longer really part of the group of Inter Miami. In recent weeks, we have been able to meet him in the Paris region, performing during arbitration days or with his association which supports the fight against sickle cell disease. One thing is certain: if he is still under contract until December 31 with Miami, he has not set foot on land for over a year.
Steven Nzonzi, far from the radars. The story of the midfielder who played at Sevilla FC in 2018 is that of many international footballers: between 2017 and 2020, he was there at the best of times. Since the Moscow final, Nzonzi has changed clubs four times: a transfer to Rome, then a loan to Galatasaray, another to Rennes and finally, last summer, an exile… to Qatar, to Al-Rayyan, where he rolls his bump at the current red lantern of the “Qatar Stars League”.
Thomas Lemar, repositioned but not selected. In the summer of 2018, Thomas Lemar was living a double dream: from Russia where he would end up world champion, he signed up with Atlético Madrid for his first experience abroad. Under the orders of Diego Simeone, the Frenchman was moved to many positions, from central midfielder to attacking midfielder through the wings, right or left. With the Blues, if he was in the Euro when he was going through an excellent phase, his last call dates back to September 2021.
Nabil Fekir, victim of competition. Nabil Fekir is far from being the least prominent French player in Europe. Since signing for Real Betis in 2019 from OL, the attacking midfielder has shined regularly in Spain and on the European scene. But his capricious physique and especially the emergence of a young generation of ultra-efficient French attackers will have been right in his place. Since 2020, he has been absent from the lists of Didier Deschamps.
Florian Thauvin, Mexican exile. He made this choice to turn a page, for peace and also, no doubt, to know the crazy experience that his friend André-Pierre Gignac is going through: in the summer of 2021, Florian Thauvin left OM for Mexico. , and the UANL Tigers. It had already been two years since he had been called by Didier Deschamps, who had continued to call him until a few months after the World Cup. Today, like many French players who have left to play in distant championships, he lives more peaceful days, but even further from a French team where, in his sector, the road seems to be blocked anyway.
