Ientered the San Siro press room decked out with the smile of someone drinking whey, with the feeling of duty accomplished. Didier Deschamps could savor: the French team had just taken revenge on Italy (1-3), who had taught him a lesson at the Parc des Princes two months earlier, and taken first place in the group. Enough to clear the table for the quarter-finals of the Nations League next March.
“This first place was unthinkable for many people,” the coach was careful to point out. A barely concealed attack towards observers regularly critical of him, who had had a field day after the miserable draw against Israel (0-0) three days earlier. As always, with the Basque, the scoreboard is the judge. After the semi-final of the Euro, a goal set by the Federation, he finished first in his group.
On velvet
This result is all the more notable as the Blues were accompanied by Belgium, certainly in full decline, and Italy, which was recovering very well from a catastrophic German summer. Deschamps was also faithful to the end to his logic of reviewing the squad in this competition. He won at San Siro with Lucas Digne, Mattéo Guendouzi, Manu Koné and Christopher Nkunku starting. All boxes are checked. “Tactically, we were excellent,” he even added, as the big winner of the evening.
The coach could continue to play on velvet: “Let some be on my back, yes. I understand it. I'm disconnected (from social networks, Editor's note), I don't read, it doesn't interest me. Yesterday, at a press conference, was the first time that four questions were asked about me. I'm realistic, it's been 12 years (that I've been in office), so people are tired of seeing my face… But criticism is part of life. »
We were far from Aimé Jacquet's “I will never forgive”, a few minutes after the global triumph against Brazil on July 12, 1998. Deschamps also assured that he was “not there to settle scores”. After all, why would he stoop to it? Neither Philippe Diallo, the outgoing president, nor Pierre Samsonoff, the other candidate at the head of the FFF for the December 14 election, intend to end his contract, which runs until 2026, just after the North American World Cup.
Chloroformed debate
Deschamps was in any case far from being as weakened as at the end of Euro 2021 (elimination in the round of 16). But even when the wind begins to blow, it does not deviate from its line and does not waver. Sunday evening, rarely has a victory looked so much like him, with a big defensive base and an enormous riot of energy. It was also obtained without Kylian Mbappé, voluntarily left at home after the real-fake injury and the escapade to Sweden last month. A reminder: the boss is “DD”.
The (big) reservations about the game produced are still there, of course. In Italy on Sunday evening, the Blues scored three goals from set pieces while having no other opportunity. It's been a long time since they delivered a full and exciting match. But the result chloroforms the debates. Between now and the quarter-finals in March, Deschamps is preparing to live four very peaceful months, firmly seated in his seat.
It will perhaps be even more so after the night from Tuesday to Wednesday. If Argentina does not beat Peru in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, the France team will regain something abandoned in September 2018: first place in the world rankings.
The number: 5.1
Audiences. The Italy – France match attracted 5.14 million viewers on Sunday evening on TF1. The best score of the Nations League campaign for the Blues, just ahead of France – Belgium and the first leg between the two teams at the beginning of September.
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