Ahead of France’s match against Ukraine, head coach Didier Deschamps attended a press conference.
“I feel it’s a privilege to wake up every morning, and this goes beyond just my role as head coach.
What matters is desire and determination. I never do things half-heartedly; my mind and heart both need that adrenaline.”
On the Players
Konaté: He’s not in his best form right now, but he has the ability to do better. He’s performed well at Liverpool and has been with us for a while now. Of course, there is competition within the squad—I’ve spoken to him about it, and he’s well aware of that. He’s used to playing at the highest level.
Zabarnyi: He had a very good season at Bournemouth. He’s a player who exudes calmness and is excellent at reorganizing attacks. That’s crucial for a club like Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He has great potential.
Mbappé as captain: The captain’s armband hasn’t put any pressure on him. He’s fully capable of taking on the role, even though he went through a tough patch for various reasons. Since becoming captain, his words have been able to unite the entire team—and he knows that. Now, he’s handling the situation well. He’s the captain and also one of the team’s leaders.
The Thuram brothers: Since they’ve been selected, it means they have their own roles to play. I’m not thinking about the Juventus vs. Inter Milan match; I’m only focused on tomorrow’s game against Ukraine and the next one on Tuesday.
Doué: He not only has the ability but also a mindset ready to cope with top-level matches at any time. Everything has progressed very quickly for him.
The Danger of Facing Ukraine
This match has a unique context—not all players are in their best form, which is normal at this stage of the season. Ukraine’s players are very talented, and they’re used to playing game after game. In terms of overall play and creativity, this Ukraine team is very interesting and dangerous, so we must remain vigilant.
