PARIS — France’s 3-1 defeat by Italy in the UEFA Nations League on Friday is a continuation of what has become a worrying stalemate for the 2018 FIFA World Cup winners. Les Bleus went 1-0 up early at the Parc des Princes but ended up being played off the field in a loss that disappointed head coach Didier Deschamps as Bradley Barcola put the hosts ahead after just 13 seconds.
“I’m always the one in charge, I’m careful to tell them what I see,” said the French tactician. “I knew very well that we were far from being at our best individually. We didn’t manage to keep going for the first twenty minutes. It’s very difficult to keep going for 90 minutes. Defensively, I saw mistakes. Athletically, we were also below par .”
The result and performance was a continuation of the rot that had clearly set in by the time UEFA Euro 2024 arrived with France scrapping into the semi-finals before being undone by eventual winners Spain. The Italians have broken down this summer’s defensive solidity three times in the French capital and Belgium’s fast start to UNL League A Group 2 will not help Les Bleus’ spirits.
Why is Deschamps’ French side suddenly looking so hard-working?
the new order of Europe
Whether France likes it or not, there are European nations currently more likely to form part of the new continental order than Les Bleus. Euro winners Spain also beat the French to the Olympic men’s football gold medal on home soil and also triumphed at under-19 level in the same summer. Euro hosts Germany also look set to reinvent themselves under Julian Nagelsmann while beaten finalists England could now be let off the hook with Gareth Southgate out. All three are expected to be Europe’s main powers for the next few international tournaments to come, but the feeling is not the same regarding the French despite arguably the deepest talent pool.
The struggles of Kylian Mbappe
The France star is struggling for form and Kylian Mbappe’s struggles are not just an individual problem for Real Madrid, but also a problem for Deschamps as he chose the 25-year-old replacement for Hugo Lloris as captain, which only made matters worse. . Given their attacking talent, Les Bleus should not experience these problems going forward and it is not exclusively Mbappe’s burden. However, Mbappe’s form with club and country has been questionable since the 2022 World Cup with his Real switch yet to change previous issues from his time with Paris Saint-Germain.
Hard talent transition
A major factor in this collective decline was a difficult transition from one talented generation to another. While there is an argument to be made that France has less truly world-class talent than it used to, there is still potential star power on the rise with the likes of the impressive Barcola, who have not only thrived without Mbappe at PSG but are also now starting to come into their own. a former Paris teammate in the shadows at international level. Deschamps finding reliable replacements for key individuals such as Lloris and Raphael Varane was feasible, but the succession of Antoine Griezmann, Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante is still problematic. The same can be said of the post-Olivier Giroud era that began in Germany this summer.
Zinedine Zidane is waiting
Further complicating matters is that Deschamps is acutely aware that one day — sooner or later — he will be replaced by former Juventus and France teammate Zinedine Zidane as head coach. The ex-Real tactician has been out of work long enough to potentially step into the role after the 2022 World Cup cycle or the 2024 Euro cycle although many would argue as early as the Euro 2020 cycle in 2021. With Deschamps seemingly safe. until 2026, it seems likely that Zidane’s wait will continue, but what if he is made to wait too long for the job he is seemingly destined for?
Could Deschamps go post-UNL?
A bad UEFA Nations League won’t certainly change that, but depending on the severity of France’s bad performances, which have already been as lethargic as it gets, it could force action in early 2025. At this point, such a change would probably have to to come from Deschamps as the French Football Federation are likely to sack him before his contract is up, but given the frosty turn in relations between the current boss and the likes of Griezmann, it does suggest that some players could start to turn against. Deschamps soon. If this heavy home defeat against Italy does not act as an electric shock, then France will enter dangerous territory as Les Bleus prepare for a crack at 2026.
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