After the failure in the World Cup final, several questions arise around the future of the France team.
Deschamps, stop or again?
The coach started the World Cup at the end of the contract, a first in competition, the fault of a disappointing Euro in 2021, completed in the round of 16. By reaching the last four, or the semi-finals, Deschamps has met the expectations of Federation President Noël Le Graët.
The two men will meet soon to discuss an extension.
“I’ve already said it, I hope he will say yes. He has the cards in his hands,” the manager told the daily Le Parisien on Sunday. At 54, ten of whom have been at the head of the Blues, Deschamps flourishes in this function, where his qualities as a leader of men work wonders. However, he refused to discuss his future after the match. “Even if the result were the opposite, I wouldn’t have given you the answer.”
What future for 30-somethings?
If Deschamps returns, will his trusted men all be there against the Netherlands and Ireland in March? Its captain Hugo Lloris and its striker Olivier Giroud are approaching the end of their career, at 35 and 36 years old.
“I need like everyone else to take a step back, height on things. We will see in a few weeks”, evacuated the goalkeeper with 145 selections, a record. Jostled in the hierarchy by Mike Maignan (forfeit for the World), the doorman is faced with a dilemma: to withdraw from himself, or risk losing his status as N.1 by the will of the coach.
With a Euro in a year and a half, Lloris can still aim for a few more selections, like Giroud, who has become the Blues’ top scorer at the World Cup (53 goals). “I don’t set myself any limits” and “my determination to stay at the highest level and have fun is intact,” he warned during the tournament.
Antoine Griezmann (31) and Raphaël Varane (29) still have a few pages to write in the history of the Blues. For Steve Mandanda (37), it is far from certain.
What succession to surround Mbappé?
Whether the “elders” leave or not, come back or not, the younger generation has already taken some power at the Qatari World Cup. “There is somewhere a handover that has taken place with a generation that is entering its last phase and a new generation of players, led by Kylian (Mbappé) who has shown strong leadership in this tournament and even more. on this final”, summed up Lloris.
In Mexico, Canada and the United States, host lands of the 2026 World Cup, the Parisian striker will only be 27 years old, like defender Ibrahima Konaté and midfielder Youssouf Fofana. Aurélien Tchouaméni, 22, has already established himself as a key player in the midfield. Dayot Upamecano and Jules Koundé are embedded in defense, at the same age as Randal Kolo Muani (24 years old), promise of attack like Marcus Thuram (25 years old), contemporary of Ousmane Dembélé. And Eduardo Camavinga is only 20 years old.
“It’s a group that is very young. We also built our successes with defeats, so this group will recover”, assured Varane in reference to the lost final of Euro 2016, springboard towards the world title of 2018 “There is a potential which is enormous, it is a group which has heart.”
