The change of era at the start of 2023 did not disturb the Blues, who crushed the Netherlands (4-0). The new features worked perfectly and offer encouraging prospects for the future.
Friday night, the Blues wanted to quickly move on to something else. The past is the past and it felt. The defeat in the World Cup final three months ago? Already forgotten. The three historical – Hugo Lloris, Steve Mandanda and Raphaël Varane – who have just retired from international football? A quick tribute before the meeting. Doubts about this new cycle? Swept away after ten minutes against one of the quarter-finalists of the last World Cup.
The Netherlands did not make the weight at the Stade de France on Friday (4-0), against the French team “next-gen”. The latter, we had seen in Qatar, during the World Cup. By bits. Some had shown their desire to ensure the future of the Blues. Doing it for a few minutes off the bench during a few World Cup games is good. Doing it over time and dispelling the uncertainties around this new era is better.
Everything was not perfect because nothing will ever be perfect for Didier Deschamps, but the Blues were excellent against the Dutch and all the novelties of the day worked. The observation is very encouraging for the future, starting with the nascent captaincy of Kylian Mbappé. “I continue to do my job, help the team and be decisive in making the difference. But now I try to take the team with me”explained the new captain on TF1 after the match.
Deschamps conquered by Kolo Muani
The number 10 of the Blues already assumes with ease the responsibilities – media and with his teammates – of his new role and has proven for the umpteenth time that he is impervious to pressure. A decisive pass for his vice-captain Antoine Griezmann, a double to overtake Karim Benzema in the scoring charts in Blue (38 goals) for his first with the armband on his arm. With a Mbappé at this level, the French team has little to worry about for the future.
On his first goal, the prodigy from Bondy took advantage of Randal Kolo Muani’s brilliant feint. The latter shook everyone when he came into play against Argentina in the World Cup final. In line with his good performances with Eintracht Frankfurt, he has demonstrated that he can be a credible long-term alternative to the position of number 9, to replace an Olivier Giroud who is nearing the end of his career.
“He was very interesting in everything he did. He has this ease of running, in the dribble, he is able to pick up, to be in depth, to play on one side or the other. He is interesting, with a different profile from that of Olivier Giroud or Marcus Thuram“, explained a conquered Deschamps. Not stingy in efforts, Kolo Muani therefore scored points for the future.
“He really has everything to be the goalkeeper of the France team”
Didier Deschamps, about Mike Maignan.
This is also the case of the hinge Ibrahima Konaté-Dayot Upamecano. With the international retirement of Varane and the long-term injuries of Presnel Kimpembe and Lucas Hernandez, there was little doubt that the two would form the new hinge of the Blues, especially after their good World Cup. The pair once again demonstrated their complementarity, with Upamecano more in combat and Konaté in recovery.
“They are very strong in the duel and not bothered with the ball”, summarized Deschamps. Upamecano was still a step below with a few recovery errors and conceding a penalty late in the game. But with these two defenders already bosses at only 23 and 24 years old, Deschamps can be reassured. Especially since in this game sector, the France team has an impressive pool.
“We must not ignite”
If the Blues approached perfection against the Netherlands, it is also because they did not concede a goal. And this thanks to Mike Maignan. We were about to write at the end of this meeting that among all the new changes in this France team, only the new number 1 goalkeeper of the Blues had not answered the questions… quite simply because he had not almost nothing to do with the game.
Maignan responded after extra time by pushing back the penalty from Memphis Depay. In the stands, this parade on an exercise where France has not shone in recent years in competition (no shots on goal stopped since 1998 and two lost World Cup finals), has revived painful memories. “I had no concerns about him. Playing a match like that, right away, it’s not easy when you have to replace Hugo. He really has everything to be the goalkeeper of the France team“, assured Deschamps.
Everything that was new yesterday worked and the coach can be proud of that. “It worked today but it’s only the beginning. We must not ignite, the hardest part remains to be done”, warned Mbappé after the match. A collective strength also emerged, a “passion” linked to this wind of youth, smiled Eduardo Camavinga after the match. The road to Euro 2024 has just started but the Blues are on the right track and the new tricolor era got off to a perfect start on Friday. “It requires confirmation“, asked Deschamps. Appointment for that Monday in Dublin, for the match against Ireland.