He is the surprise guest on the list. Called at the last minute to replace Presnel Kimpembe, AS Monaco defender Axel Disasi (24) is delighted to have the chance to start his adventure in Blue with a first World Cup. He appeared at a press conference this Saturday before his club partner Youssouf Fofana.
What has impressed you the most in the environment of the Blues since your arrival?
AXEL DISASION. I would say all the means put in place to make the player feel the best. There is also the castle (of Clairefontaine), I saw it mainly on TV and the fact of entering it and having slept in it, it’s still not bad. When you arrive in the France team, it’s a whole that makes you feel good there.
When you’re new like you, do you have to pay attention to the smallest details in group life so as not to offend anyone?
Some players have their habits, their preferences and as a new player we pay a little attention to that. We are careful not to take someone’s place (in the bus) for example, but I think the group is very very cool, I was well received. Whether it was the coach or certain players, they told me to be myself, to play my game. I am lucky to have Youssouf (Fofana) and Aurélien (Tchouaméni) with me, whom I know well, as well only players that I have known in Espoirs. My integration is going very well. (…) With Youssouf it’s easy, it only takes a trifle for us to tease each other. Little by little, I take my marks.
In the aftermath of a defeat against OM and the injury of Amine Harit, how did you experience your first call-up?
I would first like to say that the comments I made to the referees at the end of the match were a hot reaction. Today, being calmer, I can say that I was not supposed to make these comments. I hope this will serve as a lesson to me in the future. At the time of the phone call (from the coach), it is a lot of joy and pride. I was going home because we had an appointment with the club at 10 a.m. to show us the recovery programs. I received a call from the coach and I can tell you that the watch that the club gave us I left it in France. The hours following the match (on Sunday evening) were a little crazy, everything is back to normal and that’s fine.
Does Amine Harit’s injury make you less aggressive in training?
No, what happened on Sunday is tragic, it’s unfortunate for Amine and I put myself in his place. But as the coach said, these are game facts that happen in football. Me, on the field, I try not to think about it, to play my football, I do what it takes not to take my head with it.
Like Eduardo Camavinga after Christopher Nkunku’s injury on Tuesday, you faced a wave of insults on social networks…
Obviously the messages we see them, we are all social networks… But me, it does not reach me. I didn’t have time to think about it, because I had just received very good news. I quickly moved on to something else to focus on the France team. Same for Cama, I see him every day on the pitch and he doesn’t seem affected to me. I think the best answer is ignorance.
Have you ever been able to chat with Didier Deschamps?
I didn’t necessarily talk to him, but when I got him on the phone, he told me that he trusted me and that if he called me it was because I was doing my job well. with my club. I’m here to learn, it’s a first gathering for me, I want to see what it’s like at the international level. I’m here with very great players, it’s one more step to continue my progress. (…) I am a competitor and if I am here it is to play and not to enjoy the sun. If I was called up, it’s because I showed qualities. After that is the competition, the choices of the coach, there are very good players. It’s up to me to show in training.
What do you think are the qualities that have allowed you to be here at the World Cup?
These are my natural qualities of power, first, but also my game intelligence, my anticipation and my technical quality. To succeed at the top level, you need this background. Physically, I have impressive attributes but I had to work to show that I didn’t just have that to perform at the top level.
How disturbing is it to organize before the first match without the leader of the defense, Raphaël Varane?
Raphaël has a lot of experience, he knows what a World Cup is and not having him on a daily basis for collective sessions can be a problem, but there are other players of great talent who play in the best clubs in Europe. I don’t worry about that, everyone is ready to play their part, that’s the strength of our team.
How is Ousmane Dembélé a special player and so destabilizing?
Before coming here, I didn’t know him personally but I knew his qualities… And on the last training session, I can tell you that his hooks are true (he laughs). He is a player of great quality and we can rely on him to succeed in a great competition.