On Thursday, October 10th, France secured a win in their match against Israel. Aurélien Tchouaméni was appointed captain. He will again lead the team in their game against Belgium next week.
Despite Kylian Mbappé's absence and Antoine Griezmann’s retirement, France showed no signs of struggle. The team secured a 4-1 victory over Israel in the UEFA Nations League. The two major players' absence did not hold the team back.
Tchouaméni was there to lead the team to their victory. France, currently second in Group A2, will face Belgium on Monday, October 14th.
More in detail
Tchouaméni took on the captain role for France in their Nations League match against Israel on Thursday. He is set to lead the team again in their upcoming match against Belgium. With Kylian Mbappé being unavailable due to a thigh injury, coach Didier Deschamps has expressed confidence in Tchouaméni, stating that the midfielder is well suited to the leadership role.
Tchouaméni revealed the exciting news to fans through an Instagram story simply captioned "Captain".
Tchouameni stated:
"We were all surprised by the announcement. Personally, I never saw it coming. But Antoine is happy, and that is what matters the most to us."
Griezmann's international farewell
As Le Monde reports, on the 30th of September, France's 2018 World Cup-winning star and vice-captain Antoine Griezmann announced his retirement from international football. He was marking the end of a remarkable 10-year career with the national team.
"It is with a heart full of memories that I close this chapter of my life. Thank you for this magnificent tricolor adventure and see you soon."
The Real Madrid midfielder was asked about the decision to become captain during a press conference ahead of Thursday's game. "It is a great pride and responsibility," he said. "We had a discussion with the coach and he told me about this decision. I am very happy."
France coach Didier Deschamps also shared his thoughts about the topic: "I chose Aurelien because I think he is the right man to take on the responsibility."
Mbappé Facing Criticism
As per a report by Reuters, Mbappé, who joined Real Madrid as a free agent from Paris Saint-Germain during the offseason, has faced criticism in France. It was because he missed the games in Budapest and Brussels, despite being able to play for his Spanish club.
Fabien Bonnet, the spokesperson for the Irrésistibles Français, talked about the topic:
"As a captain (Mbappe) must be an example for the fans, and he has not been."
He later on added:
"The feeling is that the true captain, Antoine Griezmann, is gone."
Griezmann and Mbappé played key roles in France’s 2018 World Cup win. Along with Paul Pogba, Raphaël Varane, and Hugo Lloris, they have been some of Deschamps' most important players in recent years.
While Mbappé's absence is temporary, Griezmann's is permanent following his decision to retire from international football last month.
The French player suffered a muscle injury last month. However, he was still able to return to action, coming off the bench in Real Madrid's Champions League loss to Lille last Wednesday.
Coach Deschamps noted about their recent victory that although it is always good to win, the mood in the team has not been great. He mentioned the criticism Mbappé has faced for missing recent games.
Mbappé’s absence from the national team had people talking, especially since he played for Madrid just last weekend. However, Deschamps was understanding, recognizing that his current club is still Mbappé’s main priority.
In a video released by the French Football Federation (FFF) on Monday, Deschamps said:
"Kylian embodies a lot of things. The interests of the clubs and the interests of the national teams inevitably diverge. We must also remember that the employer is the club, not the federation."
Clubs have always had this authority, especially nowadays being more careful given the volume of matches their players are expected to compete in. "I do not want to put players in conflict with their clubs," Deschamps added.
The former PSG star is facing criticism in France for skipping the Nations League games against Israel and Belgium, despite being fit to play for Real Madrid. Things are not looking good for him as the criticism continues to rise.
Despite all the buzz, Deschamps' new line-up, led by Aurélien Tchouaméni, was pretty impressive. With their win, France now sits second in Group A2, just one point behind Italy.
According to a report by France24, Deschamps highlighted the "significant potential" of his young squad, noting that matches like these are key to building their experience for the future.
