Rayan Cherki is a UFO. Whether on the pitch with his swaying dribbles and his endless creativity or off it with his outspokenness, he stands out very clearly from his colleagues in a football that has become far too sanitized. However, the magician of the France team takes liberties and sometimes tends to do or say too much.
This was again the case Thursday evening at the microphone of TF1. “We will not go to the World Cup as favorites, but to crush everyone.” The words are strong. They send the signal that the Blues are very ambitious. But also that they are a little arrogant.
Especially since this speech from the Lyonnais came at the end of a first preparation match for the World Cup that was completely unsuccessful. France lost against Ivory Coast (2-1) Thursday in Nantes, with a goal from Rayan Cherki.
Didier Deschamps advocates humility
Another problem, this speech is in total contradiction with that, always very smooth and politically correct, of his coach. Didier Deschamps has never stopped repeating, since it met at Clairefontaine, that the French team was not the only favorite and that it had to show humility.
France will play a final preparatory match this Monday, June 8 in Lille against Northern Ireland before flying to the United States. To crush everyone or to crush yourself altogether?
The last time the Blues lost in a friendly match before a major tournament was in 2010 against Norway. The Knysna fiasco, with the players not wanting to get off the bus, happened a few days later in South Africa.
