France’s commitment to Its unrivalled depth and resources have proved impressive at this point. Now, it is just shy of the border of extraordinary.
Before you World Cup started, Didier Deschamps, France’s coach, had already lost five players to injury — most of them likely starters. Deschamps didn’t blink. These are just five others.
Lucas Hernandez, the sixth player in the match, was eliminated just days after it began. Deschamps — a man with an intense, deadpan demeanor that is only slightly undercut by a shy, coquettish laugh — did not even pretend to Don’t be flustered. Fine. If that’s how you want to play it, he’ll just go and Be the first manager to retain the men’s World Cup He was still a good player, and he managed to win the game in just half an century. He didn’t bother to summon a substitute.
It has not stopped France’s serene progress to A second successive final is possible, however. It isn’t quite true. to say that those absences have not affected Deschamps’s team in Qatar. The French might not have broken a sweat while on their journey, but they were still able to make it. to They were concerned against England in the quarterfinals and Morocco. Both games were played for quite a while when the champion was not on the front foot.
France It won World Cup In 2018, the team didn’t feel exciting. Even without key players like a few, this team has looked a lot more at its best.
Morocco France Had been stripped of Adrien Rabiot, and both Adrien Rasbiot and Dayot Upamecano was absent due to a viral infection. This has been confirmed in France that the virus was contracted from England’s players during the quarterfinal, although the evidence for that claim is scant, at best. It has circulated in Doha throughout the tournament as a respiratory virus; most doctors have not attributed this to it. to air conditioning refers to the diagnosis of at most one Brazilian wing. to The influx of over a million people to (The city.
In the following days, it doesn’t matter where the virus originated. France’s semifinal, three more players have fallen victim to it: Raphaël Varane, Ibrahima Konaté and Kingsley Coman and all other Kingsley Coman were absent from training Friday, which was 48 hours prior to the World Cup final. This isn’t in-depth journalism about soccer. to This suggests that it isn’t really the best.
“Obviously, it would be better if this was not happening,” Deschamps stated Saturday that he was impressed by Deschamps’s phlegmatic remarks, even by his own standards. “We are handling it as well as possible. We are trying to take as many precautions as we can, to adapt as necessary and get on with it.” France It has achieved everything it could to Limit spread by isolating some players and Introduce social distancing to others
Deschamps finds himself in a difficult position even if these measures prove successful. All those who have been ill will be able to return to play on Sunday. All of them will report to France’s medical staff that their symptoms have entirely disappeared. Deschamps is sure to believe they are correct: He won’t want to go into a World Cup Without his three top-choice central defenders, final.
The problem is working out how much he can trust his players’ testimonies, and They trust their instincts. Some, or all of their physical tests may indicate that they are healthy enough. to Start, but is fatigue more likely to set in than expected? They will be able to do it. to Perform to They will do their very best in the biggest (jointly) game of their lives, even if they have to deal with the aftermath of a viral infection.
If they can’t, what other alternatives do they have? France Produces players in such large quantities that it feels like the country could send at least two teams to You can find more information at World CupEach of them is capable of winning it all. It is not the most enjoyable time. to This theory is worth testing.
