The locker room of a national team sometimes contains some secrets. And some explanations should not get out.
After a long period of break, the French team returns to the occasion of the Final Four of the League of Nations and its double confrontation against Croatia, a well-known opponent of the Blues who won, it must be remembered, its second star of world champion in front of the Croats in 2018.
After a completely missed first leg (0-2 in Split), the Blues will be eagerly awaited, especially after the numerous controversies around the locker room of the French team and the notable absence of Captain Kylian Mbappé, for sporting reasons (lack of perf with Real) and above all extra sporting (accusation of rape in Sweden).
There are often tensions in a team and even more in a national selection where the best players in a country, often stars in clubs, must make a low profile for the collective property. One of the executives also wanted to recall it a few months ago, in early September, after the defeat against Italy (1-3) at the Parc des Princes.
This framework is the porter Mike Maignan, who brilliantly succeeded a certain Hugo Lloris after the 2022 World Cup. Captain in his club in Milan AC where he is however more in difficulty this season, he is also a leader on the field as in the locker room. The 1m91 giant does not mince words to wake up his teammates when performance is not really there.
And after the debacle against Squadra Azzurra, he very strongly regretted the general attitude of his partners by partly taking over the speech of Deschamps. According to him, his teammates have not made enough effort. “We have to stop taking ourselves for starlets,” he even launched, explaining that he had not seen a real team on the field, according to comments reported at the time by L’Equipe.
Strong words, but that the porter wanted to express because he has not seen the values of courage, solidarity and collective spirit which have notably have the strength of the Blues for several years. A necessary speech according to the AC Milan goalkeeper because the Blues had entered a new cycle, with executives who left. Mbappé had also felt well targeted by the chat of Maignan who explained that he “It was a message to the whole group and he had felt the need to intervene”. The two men also explained themselves a few days ago on the occasion of the return of the Real Madrid striker within the group of Didier Deschamps. End of history?