The coach of the Blues must unveil Wednesday evening the list of players selected for the World Cup in Qatar, marked with packages and many uncertainties. And some see themselves integrating into the workforce as they have entrusted to franceinfo.
The appointment is made. As since 2010, during the 8 p.m. news on TF1, coach Didier Deschamps must reveal the list of a maximum of 26 players to be part of the French football team, selected for the World Cup in Qatar, including the kick-off will be given on November 20.
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If, of course, certain names seem essential like Kylian MBappé, the Ballon d’Or 2022 Karim Benzema, Antoine Griezmann or Hugo Lloris, there are also (and above all) the others, those who do not yet know on which foot dance. And the announcement of this list has therefore become a ritual always eagerly awaited by football fans, but also by these players, worried, impatient, to see their name or not appear on the television screen.
Because the tradition is tenacious: the players discover live if they are selected or not. And to go to Qatar, rumors are rife for the Blues who intend to defend their title. Thus, everything suggests that Didier Deschamps will retain Olivier Giroud, his tireless 36-year-old center forward, the second top scorer in the history of the blues who shines at AC Milan. He could bring his experience, even if it means being satisfied with bits of matches. Among the packages that redistribute the cards, there are Paul Pogba and Ngolo Kanté: Aurélien Tchouaméni, Adrien Rabiot, and Youssouf Fofana are part of the solutions. Uncertainties persist, for example, for goalkeeper Mike Maignan, and for defender Presnel Kimpembe.
Among those who still hope to be part of the team, there is the Marseillais Jordan Vérétout, who could take advantage of the many injuries in the midfield of the Blues. So, he announces it: he will be on his sofa, in front of his television, from 8 p.m. “I believe it ! I’m a footballer, I’ve already been called up, I give everything on the pitch… It’s up to the coach to make his choices, but of course I believe in it!”, he smiled.
“I wait like most French people“slips, for his part, the Monegasque Youssouf Fofana, who is also regularly announced in the list, but he does not prefer to think about it too much.There is envy, yes. But there will be stress… Good stress!“, he confides. A feeling – and a hope – shared with his ASM teammate, Axel Disasi, 24, and still no selection in Blue. “We’re all going to be in front of our TV at 8 p.m. A World Cup, all players want to play at least one in their lives. But I don’t mind. For me, it’s just a bonus.”
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The Monaco defender knows it: being called up can also turn into a way of the cross. Many players still have in mind the former Wigan player Pascal Chimbonda, Raymond Domenech’s last minute guest at the 2006 World Cup, who, if he had lived a dream when the list was announced, was quickly even became the mascot of the Blues and the Guignols de l’Info, to finally play no second of the entire World Cup. The first match of the France team at the World Cup is scheduled for November 22 against Australia.