Everything was going great up to that point. The France players were welcomed to camp on Saturday by their coach, who was very excited about the upcoming games. KylianMbappe surprised the soccer world by extending his stay at Paris Saint-Germain. It was a relief to be back in France and to be able to breathe easier after weeks of trouble at Atleti Madrid.
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There was a young man who just got a call-up to the national team for the first time. Jonathan Clauss, who is happy to be back for a second international break in a row, was one of the people who were spotted. The sun was shining and there were a lot of smiles before their games against Croatia and Austria in the Nations League.
After Real Madrid's win in the European title and the arrival of Benzema, there was even more joy in the air. We were all waiting for the " retrouvailles" between the most lethal pair of centre- forwards in the world. Is there any tension after Mbappe decided to stay in Paris? It's hardly! None of the nonsense that appeared on social media after news of the decision was shared by the pair.
This week, a leader on and off the pitch, excellent at training, vocal, committed, has been present around the area. It was almost as if the new deal he got at Paris Saint-Germain had given him some relief.
Then, terrible news. The coach of France returned to France to be with his family after learning of his father's death. His players held a minute of silence before training on Tuesday, and his assistant Guy Stephan ran the sessions, as Deschamps' phone was bombarded with messages of grief, support and love.
The team is more than just a team as they have shown many times. This week they displayed a remarkable spirit, which was on display when things got difficult.
A week in which so much has happened for his players is something that Deschamps will never forget. After six years of ups and downs, the Frenchman will not play for Manchester United again, even though he was omitted from this call up. When he joins the national team, he usually gets a huge emotional boost, but he's got to sort out his future, and that's where he's most likely to go. The docu-series "The Pogmentary" is expected to debut on June 17th.
It will be interesting to see how the team performs without him. Aurélien Tchouameni will replace him in the middle of the field. He is expected to join Real Madrid this week.
Despite some issues with the taxes, the agreement is fully in place. Benzema told the former Monaco player everything he needed to know about the Spanish giants and how to become a European champion.
Real will pay a lot of money, but Tchouameni is worth it. Eduardo Camavinga and Tchouameni have been bought by the LaLiga champion in the last year. France will take full advantage of Tchouameni's talent, even if he's the first option off the bench, until that deal is completed.
France's strength in depth is as good as it's ever been, but this team could see historic changes this week off the pitch. The head of the French FA had a meeting with players to discuss their image rights.
Until now, French national team players had to do what the federation wanted them to do in terms of marketing and sponsorship, with the FFF holding their image rights from their first call up to their last. In March, Mbappe refused to allow his image to be used by a gambling partner and a fast food partner. Le Graet is expected to give in to the players' requests. There will be a second meeting in the next few days.
The game against the Danes can't come too soon. The Nations League will be defended by the players and they will play for their boss and his family. Stephan will be in charge on the bench. The World Cup will be in the back of their mind. November will arrive quicker than we think, so the defence of that title begins now. It is time to pay attention.
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