Twelve selections. This is what it took Aurélien Tchouameni to establish himself as obvious in the midfield of the Blues. Just two months before the entry into the running of the France team at the World Cup against Australia, the glitches are multiplying for the usual holders and the young shoots are struggling to convince.
But while France challenges Austria, Thursday, September 22, for its survival in the elite of the League of Nations, the Tchouameni reed does not bend. Better, since his arrival in his new garden at Real Madrid, he impresses.
One would have thought that the step would be a little high. After two excellent seasons at AS Monaco, Aurélien Tchouameni joined reigning European champions Real Madrid this summer. But as on the Rock, the former Bordelais shines. “From day one, we noticed its potential”, recognized the Austrian David Alaba, on Wednesday. Holder alongside Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, the Frenchman replaces Casemiro, who left the Madrid ship for Manchester United. To the point of being showered with praise by his trainer.
“He has quality, he is very solid in duels, very strong in aerial play. He has technique and projects well into the opposing box. We must also take advantage of his shots from distance.explained Carlo Ancelotti, on August 19th. He needs to improve but this player is ready to play for Real Madrid.”. And it is not the Brazilian Rodrygo, to whom Tchouameni distributed an offering against Atlético Madrid on Sunday, who will say the opposite.
It must be said that the 22-year-old already has a good business card. During the 2020-2021 season, his first in the Principality, the midfielder made no less than 257 interceptions and 127 tackles, the second highest total in the championship in these categories. What largely legitimize his title of best UNFP hope that season. Last year, he was also the outfield player most used by the Asemist club with more than 4,200 minutes played. A regularity which naturally allowed him to apply for a place of choice with the Blues.
Since his first cap with the A, a year ago, against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1-1), Tchouameni has participated in all the meetings of the France team, except for an easy victory against Africa. du Sud (5-0) at the end of March. It must be said that the native of Rouen had been resplendent a few days earlier against Côte d’Ivoire in Marseille, offering victory to his people with an angry header in the last minutes (2-1).
Feats of arms that the coach, always so complimentary to him, should still have in mind, Wednesday, at a press conference.
He has been with us for a while and exudes so much serenity, strength, power, ability to play in several positions… Aurélien has everything to stay at the highest level.
Didier Deschampsat a press conference
And who cares if DD had found him a little less efficient in June. At the time of the last rehearsals before the World Cup, Tchouameni is on track to play a key role in the eleven tricolor. Even if he doesn’t want to admit it. “Take a starting place with the Blues? No, the goal is to scratch as many minutes as possible. For the moment, I’m trying to show the coach that he can count on me for this World Cup”he indicated at the microphone of Bein Sports after the Madrid derby.
Because if Didier Deschamps has not yet given any indications on the system he intends to use in Qatar, Aurélien Tchouameni has his versatility as an asset. He has already proven in blue in a medium with two low points. While he shines in the triangle of Real Madrid, where he sometimes evolves as a sentry behind Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, sometimes as a torchbearer. Otherwise, the former Monegasque has even more room to shine in the France group, since its competitors in the post are missing.
In addition to the extra-sporting setbacks which will probably not facilitate his preparation for the World Cup, Paul Pogba has entered a race against time to get back on his feet. Meniscus operated on in early September, the Juventus player is barely halfway through his announced eight weeks of recovery. For his part, N’Golo Kanté has had a hamstring injury for more than a month and needs to find some rhythm.
So much so that in the absence of the two centerpieces of 2018, combined with Adrien Rabiot’s package, Tchouameni is the most experienced midfielder in Blues on this September rally.
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It remains to be seen who will take advantage of the hecatomb of wounded to accompany him. If the presence in the list of his current teammate at the Merengues, Eduardo Camavinga, and his ex-partner in Monaco, Youssouf Fofana, can sow doubt, the trend of the last selections suggests that the Marseillais Mattéo Guendouzi leaves with a head start, especially since the two players rubbed shoulders in the youth selections. Anyway, a year after his first selection, the question is no longer whether Tchouaméni will start with the Blues, but who will be by his side.