The Lille goalkeeper, author of great performances since the start of the season, was called up by Didier Deschamps for the French team. He savors it.
His reaction was expected. It didn’t take long for him to come out of the woods. “Since yesterday, 2 p.m., my life has changed”Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier rejoiced Friday at a press conference, summoned for the first time to the French team, “a beginning of accomplishment”.
The young Losc goalkeeper, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Wednesday, is part of Didier Deschamps’ group to face Israel (November 14) and Italy (17) in the League of Nations. His name had been mentioned for months to join the trio of goalkeepers composed of Mike Maignan and Brice Samba. “I have a feeling of pride, it’s the beginning of an accomplishment,” he said ahead of the northern club’s trip to Nice on Sunday (3:00 p.m.). We have to know how to appreciate the moment but we will also have to show things.”
In his car at the time of Deschamps’ list
This first call-up propels the native of Calais (1.89 m) into another dimension: “Since yesterday, 2 p.m. (when the list was announced, Editor’s note), my life has changed.” “Yesterday I wasn’t live, I was driving, and the list must have come out at 2:09 p.m., something like that, he says with a smile on his face. At 2:08 p.m. it was very quiet, and at 2:09 p.m. the phone blew up, I was driving, I was like, what is this? What’s going on? It marked me. There, you say to yourself: oh yeah, it’s important for us but also for the people around.”
Laurent SANSON / PANORAMIC
However, the Lille goalkeeper, trained at Domaine de Luchin, experiences this new status with lightness: “I don’t think I realize what I’m doing. But it’s also this carefree attitude that means I take things naturally and don’t get distracted.”
This choice by Didier Deschamps rewards the rise of Lucas Chevalier, excellent in the Champions League, the supreme criterion in the eyes of the coach. “It’s a surprise in the sense that it’s the first time, but there is an element of logic, he said. I have merit, but if I hadn’t been called up, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. If it had happened in six months, it would have been in six months.”
At Clairefontaine, he will find Mike Maignan, N.1 of the Blues, for whom he was one of the replacements when he started in the North. “The story is beautiful,” he commented. We had this deep conviction that it was achievable. Today it is. We will have to photograph the moment in our heads.”
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