Geoffrey Kondogbia
Zinédine Zidane retired, Kylian Mbappé not yet revealed: quickly, the 10th is to be recovered! In June 2015, Geoffrey Kondogbia came out of a huge season with Monaco (where a certain Mbappé had just taken his first professional steps, in fact) and recovered the offering against Albania during a friendly match. Unfortunately, the Blues bowed, and the future Interist established in front of the defense in the company of Maxime Gonalons could not avoid the defeat suffered by Didier Deschamps’ men. At the same time, giving this number to a player whose technique is far from the first quality deserved a sanction…
Camel Meriem
The new Zizou! Among many others, unfortunately… And in the French team, the scam doesn’t work either. In 2005, while in Monaco, Camel Meriem took advantage of Zidane’s false international retirement to steal his jersey thanks to Raymond Domenech. Finally, only twice and never as a starter: the left-hander first came in a friendly against Sweden, then against Switzerland in the World Cup qualifiers. Results: 54 minutes in total, two draws and zero decisive moves. Thank you, goodbye: the native of Montbéliard will never be seen again among the Blues.
Bixente Lizarazu
Once in 97 selections, it’s worth celebrating! On March 27, 1993, France won in Austria by the narrowest of margins with a goal from Jean-Pierre Papin. In the 4-4-2 concocted by Gérard Houllier, no playmaker (Éric Cantona and David Ginola are absent) and many recovering midfielders (Didier Deschamps, Paul Le Guen, Emmanuel Petit, Franck Sauzée, etc.). Reason why, in particular, Bixente Lizarazu is wearing the number 10 while he plays in the left lane. Why not, after all? Come on, a little madness: champagne!
Djibril Cisse
A few seconds, does that really matter? Yes, the archives being formal and Meriem not being the only one to exploit the withdrawal (definitive, that one) of Zidane to put on his beautiful tunic. Came into play in place of Claude Makélélé at 88e minute to try to equalize during a friendly match played against Argentina on February 7, 2007 in Saint-Denis, Djibril Cissé did no better than the others. Still there, Domenech will try again and again to find a number 10 worthy of the name after that evening. In vain…
Laurent Blanc
The opportunity to remember that he played much higher than his squatted libero position at the end of his career, and that he still remains the top scorer in the history of Montpellier today. Yes, Laurent Blanc had a life before the central hinge. Among his four selections with the number 10 given to him by Michel Platini (a connoisseur…), Lolo spent, for example, that of March 8, 1989 against Scotland in midfield behind Papin and Daniel Xuereb. Without success, the Blues lost 2-0. No problem, you had to try.
Kevin Gameiro
In 2016-2017, Mbappé was just starting the adventure of the selection and had only defended the colors of the France team twice. This is why, among others, Kevin Gameiro had the privilege of appearing twice with number 10 for the Blues. He, the pure center forward, however, does not move from the point. In any case, that does not allow him to shake the nets in two friendlies: a 0-0 against Ivory Coast, and a 2-0 setback against Spain in the company of… Kylian, who then wears the 12. Another time, very distant.
Daniel Moreira
Daniel Moreira was a great player for Racing Club de Lens, but not a superb striker for the France team. This is evidenced by his three small selections, including one passed with the number 10 stuck to his body. It was April 30, 2004, a period when Zidane nevertheless remained the undisputed leader of the Blues. But in his absence, it is the Northerner who replaces him numerically and who replaces Sylvain Wiltord at 71e minute of a friendly game largely won against Egypt (5-0). He won’t score, but Olivier Kapo will. And Cisse, too.
Julien Faubert
The 10 in the French team, the first player to wear this number for the Blues since Zidane’s retirement, a pawn from his debut with the selection, a stint at Real Madrid… Listed like that, the elements bring Julien Faubert very close to the most great playmaker in the history of the Tricolores. But really, the comparison ends there. Because the clash in Bosnia on August 16, 2006 where he scored in added time after coming on as a substitute will remain the Bordeaux player’s only appearance with the national team, and because everything went a little too quickly. Enough to torture your mind.
Louis Saha
Nice gift, for his last selection with the France team. In order to celebrate his twentieth and final cape with the Blues, even if no one knows it, Louis Saha is entitled to number 10. However, he is not the best placed, on the pitch or in the hierarchy: Samir Nasri, Mathieu Valbuena (who will wear it twice) and even Franck Ribéry are indeed there. It doesn’t matter: during the success in Germany on February 29, 2012 (2-1, goals from Olivier Giroud and Florent Malouda against one from Cacau), the man from Tottenham bids farewell. Without being aware of it, but with class.
Christian Karembeu
Wednesday November 16, 1994, at the Gornika stadium in Zabrze. Poland hosts France, and Christian Karembeu, with seven caps, incomprehensibly wears number 10 for the only time in his career as he scampers in front of the defense. A failed bet, since the Kanak of Nantes received two yellow cards and therefore left his partners numerically inferior from the start of the second period. The experience will never be repeated, which will not prevent the boy from making the Blues happy with whom he will win a World Cup and a Euro. By supporting another kind of 10…
Blues: human succession
