He arrived with a big smile, and he left with it. A half-hour interview was planned, the exchange lasted an hour, that Friday afternoon in Clairefontaine. It must be said that Kylian Mbappé undertook a special exercise for his only speech in a media before the start of the Euro in Germany (June 14 – July 14). For once, there was no question from him, but from others. For Ouest-France, the captain of the Blues agreed to present all the players who will try to win the only title missing from his selection list.
The moment seemed opportune, as he prepared to compete in his first international competition with the armband around his arm. In the “blue house”, as he calls it, Mbappé and his 25 years represent a link today. Between the six 2018 world champions and the five players who are playing their first international competition this summer. Between the captains and the rookies, the thirty-year-olds and the newly-adults. Between generations.
Photos in hand, the captain took the exercise very seriously, varying with his famous dexterity between the footballing qualities and the personalities of each of his teammates, during an unfiltered, casual conversation, sometimes intimate, punctuated by laughter and confidences, far from any form of calculation and distrust. What emerges is a photograph of the French team, a look at twenty-five careers that could change at the dawn of an international summer and a dive into the intimacy of a group which has the opportunity to enter into the history of French football.
Third and final part on the seven attackers: Ousmane Dembélé, Kingsley Coman, Olivier Giroud, Marcus Thuram, Randal Kolo Muani, Bradley Barcola; as well as Kylian Mbappé himself and coach Didier Deschamps.
Wingers: “You will never find a player who speaks badly to you about Ousmane Dembélé”
Ousmane Dembélé (27 years old): “Contagious lightness and undeniable talent”
” Oh ! My friend. We met eleven years ago, during a U16-U17 tournament in Monaco, where he came with Rennes. We played against each other, then we talked, and very quickly laughed. We continued to talk afterwards, and we never lost touch. I can tell so many anecdotes that they would take up the entire interview (smile).
We see each other all the time. We no longer play FIFA, but NBA 2K. I am stronger than him. No, seriously, there’s not even a debate! This guy is sick (laughs). But he is so endearing. He has this contagious lightness, which makes him loved in every locker room he has been in. In the group, he is a major element. Frankly, you will never find a player who speaks badly to you about Ousmane Dembélé.
His talent is undeniable. I try to push it to the max, all the time. I understand what Luis Enrique means when he says he is the most unbalanced player in the world. He has two feet, he can go in all directions. If he is right-handed or left-handed? (laughs). He often tells him that he drives better with the left, and hits better with the right. Do whatever you want with that (laughs). Either way, he himself doesn’t know. It’s a myth, this guy (laughs). More seriously, I am so happy with what is happening to him at PSG, where he is thriving, has had a full season, without a glitch. He had been chasing this for a long time. With us, he had a good 2022 World Cup, which was unfortunately tarnished by its final. Now, it’s up to him to make a good Euro. He is capable of it. Come on Ousmane! »
Kingsley Coman (28 years old): “He energizes and dynamizes the attack”
“Kingsley is one of the “electric players”. He plays a bit like the forward wingers, those who stick the line and tire the full-back. The guy doesn’t let go of you for an hour and a half and comes crashing into you, constantly. You come out tired from a duel against him. Having a player like that with us is great. It energizes and dynamizes your attack. Plus, he can play on both wings, so offers a lot of options. Without forgetting his experience: the guy has many seasons behind him now. It makes…
){kind=link}