At halftime in the game between France and Poland for the round of 16 of the World Cup, Didier Deschamps just waited for the players to drink water in the locker room to give a general scolding.
The French were already leading by 1-0, with a goal by Giroud, but the coach would be irritated with the spaces his players were leaving for the opponent.
According to the French newspaper L’Equipe, the most specific orientation was for midfielder Antoine Griezmann. The commander wanted him to stop asking for the ball everywhere on the field and focus on covering the full-back Koundé.
When Deschamps stopped talking, another voice rose in the locker room. It was Raphael Varane, 29, one of the most experienced and vice-captain of the team. He would look even angrier than the coach.
“We are living a dream, but that dream could end at any time if we continue like this.”
France came back with another half-time stance. The best proof of this was that the second goal came from a counterattack. And who was in the defense field to recover the ball was precisely Griezmann. The game ended 3-1.
Echoing the coach’s scolding, Varane once again showed why he is so respected in the squad. When he speaks, he is heard by young and old alike.
Aware of his importance, the defender issued a new warning this Monday (12th), this time about Morocco’s team, France’s opponent in the semifinals, on Wednesday (14th).
“They have strong counterattacks, with good individual actions. They are not here by luck. So, we expect a difficult game”, said the defender.
“Against Poland, many players had not played the previous game, against Tunisia. We had to react. But there is no pressure based on the opponent. It is always a high level, and there is no difference based on who we are going to face”, he added.
Varane is recognized for his ability to read the game. It was no wonder that Deschamps waited as long as he could to count on him in the Cup.
On October 22, he suffered an injury to his right thigh. At the time, Manchester United, for which the athlete works in the Premier League, reported that he would be out of action for the rest of the season, until the World Cup. But there was no guarantee that he would recover in time for the tournament.
It would be another problem for France’s extensive list for the World Cup, which has not stopped growing even on the eve of the tournament. Striker Karim Benzema was the last to enter it, on the eve of the debut.
There were already big names in it, such as defensive midfielder N’Golo Kanté, midfielder Paul Pogba, striker Christian Nkunku and defender Presnel Kimpembe.
With a recovery that impressed, Varane escaped the cut. He was out of the debut against Australia, but resumed his post from the second round, against Denmark, and never left the team.
When he is on the field, he is almost like a second coach, as he knows Deschamps’ style well.
“He is attentive to the smallest details”, says the defender. “He knows what to expect from me and he knows what I can give the group. [informações]🇧🇷 It’s a chance for us to have stability with him in charge of the national team for so many years.”
The French coach is the longest-serving of all 32 coaches who worked at the World Cup in Qatar. Ten years since 2012.
During this period, the country won its second World Cup, in 2018, in Russia, and the UEFA Nations League, in the 2020/21 season.
With France again favored for the title in this edition, Varane said that it is still difficult to understand how much the generation he is part of is marked in the history of French football.
“We will understand when it ends. We are aware that what we are achieving in recent years is something wonderful. The results are there, but it is difficult to assess what we are doing today”, said the defender.
Right now, he doesn’t even want to think about it. His and the whole group’s biggest objective is to seek the title, raising France to the level of three-time world champion, which would leave it behind only Italy (4), Germany (4) and Brazil (5) in number of titles.
“Being among the four semifinalists is a good performance, but we are competitive and we want to be champions.”
As a seasoned news journalist, I bring a wealth of experience to the field. I’ve worked with world-renowned news organizations, honing my skills as a writer and reporter. Currently, I write for the sports section at News Bulletin 247, where I bring a unique perspective to every story.
