In the absence of Kylian Mbappé, N'Golo Kanté will wear the captain's armband of the Blues this Thursday in the Nations League against Israel (8:45 p.m.). Present at a press conference this Wednesday, Didier Deschamps explained the reasons for his choice.
The choice of experience. This Thursday, during the Nations League match between France and Israel (8:45 p.m.), it is N'Golo Kanté who will wear the captain's armband of the Blues. As detailed by RMC Sport on Tuesday, the Al Ittihad midfielder was in pole position to inherit the armband. Didier Deschamps made his decision official this Wednesday at a press conference, knowing that the presence of the main interested party at this media meeting left little room for doubt.
>> Relive the press conference of Deschamps and Kanté before France-Israel
“He has experience,” explained the Blues coach. “He’s not someone who will speak a lot (smile). But there are other forms of leadership. Through what he does on the pitch, he has always been a leader and a driving force. Obviously, he also has recognition in relation to the whole group, he has always been an important leader for years. There, he will have a little more, but knowing him well, I don't think that's okay. change the way you are or behave.”
Without Kylian Mbappé, not called up for the second consecutive meeting, the Blues staff had to find a new captain, Aurélien Tchouaméni, who had inherited the armband in October in the absence of the Real Madrid striker, being currently injured in the ankle .
Kanté: “With age, with status, it becomes easier to communicate”
This is not a first for Kanté, already captain of the Blues at kick-off against Belgium on September 9, in the Nations League (2-0 victory). The former Chelsea player, the most capped player at this gathering (33 years old, 63 caps), had also occupied this role at the Euro when Mbappé came out during the match (against Austria in the group for the quarter against the Portugal).
“I have my personality, I’ve been in the team for a while,” Kanté told journalists. “(My desire) is just to pull the group up with what I can bring, to be focused on the pitch, to correct what we can correct, to be a relay for the coach on the pitch. Outside, it's to use everyone's strengths. Some are more comfortable speaking so they will give voice. But we are together and we try to get the most out of the group. If that will force me to force my nature. With age, with status, it becomes easier to communicate and send messages, with the armband, it gives a little more incentive to do it. Overall, I feel good and ready to go,” he concluded.
