He has taken the emotional elevator many times since Monday. Touched, but not sunk, by the appointment of Kylian Mbappé as captain, on the first day of the rally at Clairefontaine, Antoine Griezmann then recovers his usual good humor the next day to blow out his 32 candles to the cheers of his teammates and staff. .
Pride awake, the world champion even offers himself a small birthday present this Friday by inaugurating the score at his first opportunity (2nd). This action bears his stamp. His seal. At the start of the action, by recovering with ardor a ball in the Dutch feet, he takes care of the finish a few seconds later, by adjusting Cillessen at the entrance to the surface with a sumptuous curl of the left foot.
Man in a hurry, the Colchoneros, ideally offset by Kylian Mbappé, then dusts off the national annals by scoring the fastest goal of the Blues since Louis Saha on October 11, 2006 against the Faroe Islands (5-0). By the way, the Mâconnais also breaks with a silence of more than sixteen months and as many meetings under the jersey struck by the rooster. His last achievement dated back, in fact, to November 13, 2021. At the Park, he had then contributed to the offensive fantasia against Kazakhstan (8-0).
With Deschamps, the contract of trust
The best passer in the history of the France team (28) lacks, by nothing, to grow his record. From the left side, he executes a returning free kick poorly controlled by Cillessen and quickly converted by Dayot Upamecano (8th). Very active in the field in a role of successful torchbearer in Qatar, he multiplies, never being the last to carry out defensive tasks. Recognizable among all with his pink dye, a family choice made a few hours before facing FC Barcelona on Sunday January 8, the French strategist shows a contagious desire.
In recent days, his name has been on everyone’s lips. Some imagine him thinking about his international future, even if he has never publicly displayed any possible discomfort. On the eve of the reception of the Netherlands, Deschamps had spoken in turn about his vice-captain in order to clarify the situation and dispel any possible misunderstanding. « That he was disappointed at the time is legitimate, but it stopped there, promises the Basque technician. From what I see from Grizou with Kylian and the rest of the group, everyone has the same goal. And then, he is vice-captain, he has an important role as he always had. He has been there for a long time, he has had more complicated periods in the France team. There he is beaming and smiling. There is no problem. »
Remarks corroborated, this Friday, by the score without false note of the former Barcelonan. Altruistic at heart, he knows how to silence his particular interests to line up behind the collective. At the heart of the first period, he was even surprised to exchange surreptitiously with his coach. The bond between the two men remains strong. Mutual respect, insensitive to the patina of time. Nothing, not even this evaporated armband dream, affects a contract of trust that can be renewed from year to year.
The public at the Stade de France was not mistaken in giving him a nice ovation when he was replaced by Youssouf Fofana (77th). He returns to the bench, his head haughty, with the feeling of accomplishment, receiving, in passing, the hug from Deschamps.
