DECRYPTION – Leader of the generation that took power in Qatar, Bondy’s crack logically imposed himself to succeed Hugo Lloris.
«This is going to be torture“, joked Didier Deschamps Monday, after yet another raise on the captaincy, at a press conference. The coach of the Blues put an end to the suffering of each other by announcing, Monday evening, his choice of Kylian Mbappé and Antoine Griezmann, the two suitors. As we revealed to you on Monday, it was the first named, aged 24, who inherited the jackpot, thus succeeding Hugo Lloris. “Grizou”, 32, takes over from Raphaël Varane as vice-captain. “It is not insignificant to be captain of the Blues. Especially after Hugo who was 10 years old, there is a responsibility to have, in the group, the functioning, it must be done naturally“, had added” DD “, referring to”a new distribution with the career stoppage of Hugo and Raphaël“. What could be more natural than the choice of Kylian Mbappé?
Hungry for “responsibilities», the crack of Bondy is neither the type to hide, nor to be crushed by the function. The kid who was still discovering the Blues in 2018, during the victorious campaign in Russia, gave way to a “framework respected in the locker roomin Qatar, as Lucas Hernandez explained to us before the start of the 2022 World Cup.We listen to itadded the Munich defender.
There is a handover that has taken place, between a generation arriving in the last phase and a new one, led by Kylian, who has shown strong leadership in this tournament.
Hugo Lloris after France-Argentina
«Four years ago, my role and that of the other executives was rather to protect him. It was a very young, very talented player who arrived. Today, he has completely asserted himself, there is no longer any question of protecting him. He is one of the leaders of this group“, analyzed Varane, also before the tournament, before seeing “KM” go up a notch on the shores of the Persian Gulf. “There is a handover that has taken place, between a generation arriving in the last phase and a new one, led by Kylian, who has shown strong leadership in this tournament. And even more in this final“, said Lloris after France-Argentina.
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In summary, the leadership of Kylian Mbappé is neither questionable nor disputed. It is a palpable reality, admitted by all within the France group, by the staff, the French Football Federation (FFF). Lloris’ reflection on the new generation is also important, essential: Griezmann is almost like a dinosaur within this young French team. One point for Mbappé.
Kylian Mbappé more than ever at the heart of the game and the Blues. ANTONIN THUILLIER / AFP
Regarding leadership, the takeover of Bondy’s crack also took place in Paris, in a locker room where we find Leo Messi, Sergio Ramos and other Neymar Jr, sorry. He does not hesitate to speak, replace, criticize in order to advance, even to the leaders. So far, Marquinhos remains captain, and Mbappé one of the vice-captains. Until when ? “It is the cornerstone of the project and the club“, swore Nasser Al-Khelaïfi after the extension of the prodigy. Didier Deschamps could use the same terms, he who did not hesitate to mention “a special playerbefore the World Cup. And in the Deschamps vocabulary, for whom the group is king, it’s enormous.
Knighted by Lloris
Asked at the microphone of TF1 after the announcement of his international retirement, Hugo Lloris also hinted at a preference for Kylian Mbappé in the role. At the time, Raphaël Varane had not yet hung up. “There is a player who is gaining momentum, at all levels, on the pitch, off the pitch, even at the level of group life and the locker room, it is Kylian Mbappé. He started to take on a new role within the team, and I think we need that in a collective“, released the former doorman of Nice and Lyon. The composite portrait of the perfect “capi”, even if, as recognized by Didier Deschamps, Antoine Griezmann represented a credible candidate “in relation to his experience“. Except that Mbappé has it too. And that it is both the present and the future.
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Exemplary in terms of attitude on and off the pitch, the ex-Monegasque is also (and above all?) a ball-to-foot superstar. One of the best players in the world, if not the best. His hat-trick in the World Cup final is still on everyone’s mind. A status that invites him to be on the front line. And so with the armband. No need to wait two years in Griezmann’s shadow. It’s already Mbappé’s France team, why pretend? Top scorer in the history of PSG (202 goals), he is called upon to overtake Olivier Giroud in Blue. “I hope it will break many records. In any case, it is intended for it. Score to distance myself from him? Don’t worry, he’ll catch up to me soon“, smiled the Milanese in Qatar, after having erased Thierry Henry from the shelves during France-Poland (3-1). He is now at 53 goals in 120 selections, against 36 in 66 caps for the Parisian.
If he has one quality, in addition to all the others, it is that he is very good at communicating.
Didier Deschamps on Kylian Mbappe
Mbappé is also a perfect image. Without taking anything away from Griezmann, what better showcase for the Blues and, more generally, French football? As for communication, no problem either. This has been true since his pro debut. “If he has one quality, in addition to all the others, it is that he is very good at communicating.“Confirms Deschamps, suggesting that the next captain may not have to go through all the match-eve press conferences like Lloris. “It can evolve. It is a component“, he slips. We remember that Mbappé preferred to be discreet in the media in Qatar, in order to concentrate on the field. Boys like Messi and Neymar, for example, only held a press conference during the World Cup.
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One thing is certain: Kylian Mbappé, “it’s better to have it with you», underlined Didier Deschamps, admiringly, during a recent interview with the Figaro . And to continue:Continue to continue, I’ve never done it. The passion is there, but the cursor of my desire and my determination are at the maximum. If I don’t have that, it doesn’t make sense.“With a spearhead like Mbappé, the coach and the Blues can travel far, quiet, first. The person concerned already wore the number 10 of Michel Platini and Zinedine Zidane. Here he is now decked out in the full outfit of the tricolor boss. A simple confirmation of what it was already in fact.