Warren Zaire-Emery, the second great oral of the “normal boy”

The 18-year-old midfielder gave his second press conference with the France team on Tuesday, further demonstrating his extreme maturity.

3:58 p.m. Now an adult, but no less young, Warren Zaire-Emery entered a press conference on Tuesday March 19, two minutes early. “He’s used to being early.”, says, smirking, the head of communications for the Blues to his right. The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder was entitled to a second meeting with the media for his second call-up with the France team for the friendly matches against Germany and Chile.

The sign of a particular status linked to its extreme precocity? “I think I’m a normal boy. I’m a normal person. I live my life normally. I go out with my brothers. I live like an 18 year old boy”, he took care to insist. The staff of the French team is very careful in their choices and does not expose Warren Zaire-Emery by chance. A new face within an already well-established group, he is certainly the curiosity of this gathering.

A skillfully maintained image

His name is one of those that the general public hopes to see aligned with Didier Deschamps’ team composition, against Germany on Saturday. The mark, as striking as it was incomplete, left by his first cape, during the 14-0 against Gibraltar (1 goal and an injury exit in 15 minutes), only fueled a little more the expectation generated by the “titi Parisian”. In the absence of Antoine Griezmann, a place is to be taken in midfield during this gathering.

“Very good players can replace him. All backgrounds [du groupe] play in very high level clubs. [Son absence] is not a problem”, he tempered, pretending not to be directly concerned. As during his first press conference, Warren Zaire-Emery spat out a very prepared speech. “It’s a great pleasure to be here”, “I will give everything”, “I don’t ask myself any questions”… Nothing should scratch the image of the young player who is humble, hardworking and insensitive to pressure that he has managed to build.

Her teammates are also present to preserve her. “Above all, he is a good guy. He is well educated, listens and he works. These are important values ​​in our profession”, described Adrien Rabiot, ten minutes after taking over from him in front of the media. On Tuesday, Warren Zaire-Emery experienced two small moments of blockage (on a tactical question and one relating to the future of Kylian Mbappé) which briefly reminded us that an 18-year-old was answering questions from a thirty journalists, most of them more accustomed to Clairefontaine than him. Two awkward silences which above all contributed to making the miracle more natural.

“There are many leaders before me”

After all, planning for a possible Euro-Olympic Games sequence is perhaps not obvious for someone who still has to pass their baccalaureate in three months. “WZE” is not the type to want to skip ahead. The fire extinguisher was brought out with each question that was a little too flattering towards him. He is not applying for a leadership status at Paris Saint-Germain despite the announcement of the upcoming departure of Kylian Mbappé. “There are many leaders before mehe decided. If it has to come, it will come naturally.”. Same behavior in training, under the eyes of the public and TV cameras.

When Kylian Mbappé and Eduardo Camavinga attracted all the attention by scrambling at the start of the warm-up, Zaire-Emery didn’t make any waves. The 22 Blues present at training (Mike Maignan did not take part in his knee discomfort) went back and forth to gain strength. Each time he crossed the center line, the Parisian took care to take his place right in the middle of the line, measuring the gap by looking to his left and right continuously. No celebration, nor even the slightest demonstration on his part, when his goal during the tactical opposition was celebrated by the hundred children present.