For several weeks or even months, the pressure has been sliding over his shoulders as if nothing had happened. It was enough to be patient. Christopher Nkunku should be summoned for the first time, this Thursday, to the France team by Didier Deschamps for the friendly matches against Côte d’Ivoire, in Marseille on March 25, and South Africa in Lille on March 29. This is a fair reward for the 24-year-old striker who is having the best season of his career in the Leipzig jersey.
In November, already, he was expected to join the Blues. But Deschamps had made the choice to wait at the time, while promising to keep an eye on his performance. “We had to be in continuity, had justified the tricolor coach. Nkunku is a player we follow. He could have been in the list because he does some interesting things. He is one of the serious candidates who can aspire to this opportunity. I encourage him to continue. “The message was heard by the native of Seine-et-Marne who is preparing, finally, to taste the blue dream after having known the U16, U19, U20 and Espoirs selections.
Only Lewandowski has scored more than him in 2022
Arrived in 2019 for 13 million euros from PSG, Nkunku literally explodes in the eyes of the world this season. In 38 games, he has 26 goals and 12 assists. A total never reached so far in his young career. In a few months, he became the boss of the team coached by Domenico Tedesco, being involved in 43% of the achievements of his training. Even at the height of the debacle on the ground of Manchester City in the group stage of the Champions League (6-3 defeat), he had managed to stand out by achieving a hat-trick.
It’s simple, it’s irresistible. Again, last weekend for his last chance to make an impression before the list, he lit up Leipzig’s victory against Greuther Furth (6-1) by signing a goal and two assists. He already has 11 goals in 2022. Only Bavarian serial scorer Robert Lewandowski has done better over the same period (13), which says a lot about his influence.
Nkunku is no longer quite the same player as at PSG. His missed penalty in the Coupe de France final against Rennes in 2019 is far behind. More complete, he was able to broaden his palette and progress tactically on the advice first of Julian Nagelsmann then of Jesse Marsch. His physical metamorphosis also reflects the hard work done in recent months to be at this level of performance.
In selection, his versatility should work in his favor, he, the attacker capable of both creating and finishing. Deschamps may find in him a credible alternative to the essential Griezmann-Benzema-Mbappé trio. An additional backup player likely to provide enough reliability a few months before the World Cup. He now has two games to prove.