DOHA, Qatar — France supervisor Didier Deschamps had the right summation of why it is so important to have a squad that is pleased to be collectively, work exhausting collectively and spend heaps time collectively: “you will not win video games because you’d possibly have a cheerful camp, however you’d possibly lose video games inside the event you haven’t acquired one.”
in any case, the successes and failures of a staff in a vital opponents simply like the World Cup are typically linked to, and penalties of, the off-discipline features.
for event, Belgium gamers had a quantity of simmering interpersonal tensions of their dressing room, and additionally they struggled on the pitch. Now, they’re heading dwelling. in the meantime, France have concord of their camp, one factor that the defending champions know is it is not simple to attain. on the rescheduled Euro 2020, which passed off in eleven host cities throughout Europe inside the summertime of 2021, France struggled to get your hands on the becoming togetherness and cohesion. With all their group video games occurring in Hungary, they stayed inside the metropolis centre of Budapest, which left them with nowhere to go: that they had little to no exterior dwelling and no approach to basically escape the crowds.
it has been the completely different expertise in Doha. Inside their luxurious lodge, the Al-Messila Resort, it feels at instances like an enormous journey camp. as quickly as the soccer (both teaching or matches) and exhausting work is accomplished, Deschamps’ gamers are like 24 mates meeting up.
The music is usually loud inside the video games room they’ve at their disposal. Midfielder Youssouf Fofana and forward Antoine Griezmann are the two devoted staff DJs, blasting every thing from French hip hop to reggaeton and demonstrating their eclectic tastes. in the event that they let defender Benjamin Pavard take over, there could be an unbelievable deal of French classics like Nineteen Eighties singer Daniel Balavoine — the Bayern Munich defender is aware of all his songs comparable to “L’Aziza” by coronary heart. Kylian Mbappe is an enormous fan of “Gasolina” by Paris rapper Tiakola at any time when he will get a flip.
no matter their particular person preferences, Les Bleus have already acquired their anthem of the match. After the spectacular 2-1 victory in the direction of Denmark inside the second group stage sport, they celebrated of their dressing room by singing and leaping to the enduring dance tune “freed from need” by Gala. Olivier Giroud was standing on the desk with Pavard and Wesley Fofana, whereas the the rest of the squad had been throwing water and garments in each place round them.
Moments like that are particular. they arrive naturally to this group, and additionally they imply heaps to their unity. What additionally means heaps is who will win the following sport of Uno, poker or Ludo King (an internet-primarily based board sport.) the cardboard sport Uno may even be extremely regarded amongst the diverse youthful gamers. all of them sit there throughout the rectangular desk — guys like William Saliba, Aurelien Tchouameni, Ibrahima Konate, Dayot Upamecano, Matteo Guendouzi, Axel Disasi and Eduardo Camavinga — and might play for hours. you will uncover a pool desk, a foosball desk, TVs to look at the completely different video games too inside the video games room, however card video games have been a welcome distraction.
there may even be additionally a piano and Disasi, the youthful AS Monaco defender who acquired here in to interchange the injured Presnel Kimpembe having by no means been recognized as as a lot as a outcome of the senior side earlier to this World Cup, has impressed his teammates collectively with his expertise. The 24-yr-outdated taught himself how one can play all through lockdown and has been giving some fundamental classes to Camavinga and Tchouameni, who’ve loved choosing up a mannequin new expertise.
relating to sleeping preparations, every participant has a particular person room with an enormous poster of themselves and their title on the door. They even acquired a pillow with their title on it when the squad checked in on the lodge. The gamers have French tv channels of their room, however in addition have a devoted channel for clips of their subsequent opponents to permit them to look at and research exterior of teaching.
The video games of FIFA 22 on the ps 5 are additionally keenly contested. There are a pair of tv sequence doing the rounds as effectively, simply like the sport of Thrones spin-off “dwelling of the Dragon” to maintain issues entertaining, nonetheless the gamers have not simply been socializing amongst themselves. Deschamps has organized household visits for his squad, even arranging time slots to maintain their days and sport preparation on observe. There was a BBQ night as effectively on the enormous terrace exterior their lodge, which the gamers actually loved.
to maintain entertained all through prolonged teaching days, they’ve been creating their very personal nice. Some have this new sport on the tip of the durations on the Al Saad stadium, simply three miles (5km) from the Al-Messila Resort. The rule is simple: the ball is positioned on the road to the side of the sixteen-yard discipline and that you merely should hit the ball with the becoming weight to get it inside the quadrant throughout the nook flag. it is their mannequin of foot-golf (the hybrid sport of soccer and golf) and to nobody’s shock, Mbappe is the grasp at it. the load on his contact is usually good.
Pas de pression pour @atchouameni 🎯@jkeey4 🤣 | @girondins 🤝#FiersdetreBleus pic.twitter.com/k98Sr8vzYy
— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) December 2, 2022
Griezmann is pretty good too, however inside the event you lose? effectively, you should serve dinner to the completely different gamers who gained the sport. Tchouameni misplaced the completely different day, however has but to carry out his forfeit!
inside the dressing room earlier than and after matches, the dynamic is simply not a lot completely different. gamers are typically sat in clusters primarily based on their positions. Upamecano and Konate, who’re like brothers in life and have recognized every completely different for years, are subsequent to 1 one other. the identical is true for the trio of Adrien Rabiot, Mbappe and Marcus Thuram, or for Ousmane Dembele and Griezmann, whereas the three goalkeepers (Hugo Lloris, Steve Mandanda and Alphonse Areola) are always collectively on one side of the room.
to this point on this World Cup, the ambiance all through the French camp has been unbelievable. Deschamps is usually a grasp at staff constructing, although he’ll acknowledge he acquired it unsuitable on the final Euros. however he found from what went unsuitable there and has cultivated a a lot extra beneficial ambiance in Qatar.
the one factor that has been troublesome for them off the sector? Dembele’s concern of cats. The Barcelona forward is simply not solely a bit afraid, however full-on terrified and when the gamers eat out on the terrace of their lodge, there are always a pair of untamed cats wandering round inside the hunt for meals, which freaks him out! everyone else simply laughs whereas they finish their meals, a little bit of humour that extra bonds this group.
After a very good displaying inside the group stage, they face Poland on Sunday with a quarterfinal spot on the road. count on this staff to maintain unified as they carry on the right track for his or her closing purpose: being the important nation to win again-to-again World Cups since Brazil did it in 1958 and 1962.
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