While Les Bleus only had one shot on target out of 20 against Belgium in the round of 16 of Euro 2024, and they benefited from an own goal to win (1-0), Didier Deschamps spoke about the chronic inefficiency of his men in a press conference.
France team coach Didier Deschamps expressed his “immense pride at being in the quarter-finals again” after Les Bleus qualified at the expense of Belgium (1-0) for Euro 2024 on Monday in Düsseldorf.
“It’s a huge source of pride to be in the quarter-finals again. Even if we were expected to be there, we shouldn’t trivialise it (but) appreciate it,” he said at a press conference.
>>> Relive France-Belgium
“We will work on it”
“We did everything to score and create chances. We were also very intelligent and careful not to leave them any space. We have this ability to control our matches a little more and to have the ball. It’s something I appreciate even if it doesn’t win matches. We didn’t get caught in a trap,” he analyzed.
The coach of the vice-world champions also praised “the defensive solidity”, according to him “indispensable at this level”. “Even if we only score one tonight, that’s enough for us”, he noted.
Asked about the Blues’ clumsiness, who have still not scored in the game themselves in this Euro, Deschamps did not seem particularly worried. For the moment, at least… “We have always had the capacity to score more. Since the start of the Euro it is more difficult but we still have a lot of chances. We must force destiny and not let it “become a psychological block. We will work on it”, he affirmed.
