Israel-France: Aurélien Tchouaméni appointed captain in the absence of Kylian Mbappé in the League of Nations

The suspense ended this Wednesday. Didier Deschamps has decided to make Aurélien Tchouaméni, Real Madrid midfielder, his new captain at least for the match against Israel, this Thursday in the Nations League. According to our information, he informed him this Wednesday morning. If he also starts in Belgium on October 14, he will keep his armband. Otherwise, it would then revert to another international.

In the absence of Kylian Mbappé, and following the announcement of the retirement of Antoine Griezmann, the boss of the Blues, also deprived of N’Golo Kanté designated against Belgium on September 9, therefore decided in favor from Rouen perceived, in the locker room, as an important relay for the staff.

Maignan and Koundé were also candidates

The name of Tchouameni, 24, had been mentioned among the potential candidates, like that of AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan (29) or Barcelona defender Jules Koundé (25). If he was not chosen, Maignan was in no way offended. He has no problem with the coach’s decision and believes that he does not need the armband to exercise his leadership within the group

In addition to their natural complicity, Tchouaméni (24 years old, 36 caps) shares the same representatives with his last two teammates. From his first press conferences the day before the match during the World Cup to the cold baths after the match, Deschamps appreciates his meticulous professionalism.

Dubbed by Paul Pogba during his first selections (between September 2021 and March 2022), Tchouaméni, a French executive for 3 years now, established himself, like his two friends, in the starting eleven. A calm, sunny and thoughtful boy, he is also capable of assuming his positions without making waves. Victorious in the League of Nations, he was also one of the players in the Blues’ epic in Qatar which was only interrupted in the final against Argentina (3-3, 2 tab to 4). Recovered in time for the Euro from a stress fracture in his left foot contracted at the club on May 8, he, on the other hand, hardly shone during the German tournament (5 starts in 6 matches).

“Maybe I haven’t shown my best version yet”

Whether in the French team or on a daily basis at Real since 2022, he has, in any case, progressed a lot under the rule of Didier Deschamps and Carlo Ancelotti. On the eve of the Champions League match against Lille on October 1, the 132nd captain in the history of the France team explained this at a press conference. “Maybe I haven’t shown my best version yet, but what matters is helping the team defensively, in recovery. Of course I would like to do more assists (assists)score more goals. But no one plays for this club for no reason. On the criticisms, I am calm. I know I do my job well, people talk, but the most important thing for me is to help my team. I don’t listen to the media because I might go crazy. The most important thing is to play, to win, to enjoy the game.”

To hear him say his third season with the Merengue club, where he was sometimes called upon, particularly because of the quality of his heading game, to move back a notch to play as a central hinge, should allow him to acquire another dimension. . Hit in the left foot, he had to leave prematurely the previous meeting of the Blues and did not participate in either of the two matches against Italy and Belgium.

In full possession of his means this time, he will not be too much, with a piece of cloth around his arm, to guide his partners in a sector of play temporarily stripped of Adrien Rabiot and N’Golo Kanté and definitively by Griezmann. Already in Madrid, where his start to the season is mixed to say the least, he now has to learn life without Toni Kroos.