“I hope with all my heart that he stays in blue”: the puzzle of Bleuet coach Gérald Baticle with binational players

The subject of dual nationals is the talk of the town. A few hours after the A list unveiled by Didier Deschamps on Thursday, it was Gérald Baticle’s turn to announce the names of the players called up with the France Espoirs team. The coach notably announced the summons of two newcomers: Mamadou Diakhon (20 years old) and Sidiki Chérif (19 years old).

Problem: the two men will not join the Bleuets group. The first, a talented winger from Club Bruges, simply chose to represent Senegal, without informing the French Football Federation (FFF).

“Mamadou didn’t warn us. There is no annoyance. It’s a subject that doesn’t date from this weekend, we work as best as possible… but somewhere it’s the heart that speaks, we can charm, instill confidence, but at a given moment the player has complete freedom to listen to his heart, his values ​​to represent the team of his choice”, Gérald Baticle justified himself at a press conference this Tuesday.

The 56-year-old technician took the opportunity to announce that Kader Meïté (Al-Hilal) had contacted him the day before the list was announced to warn him that he intended to represent Côte d’Ivoire. The situation of Sidiki Chérif is even more complex. The Fenerbahçe striker made the right choice to wear the blue jersey, but he does not yet have French nationality. Born in Conakry (Guinea), he has not yet obtained the necessary documents to be able to join the France Espoirs team.

Morocco or France for Ayyoub Bouaddi?

“I was very positive, I was convinced that we would have the administrative authorizations in time,” assures Gérald Baticle. We announced the list on Thursday and I thought we would manage to obtain the authorizations, which happened for Ismaëlo Ganiou. Thursday, we had not yet received the papers, we had them the next day with Lens. It’s only a postponement for Sidiki, it’s a positive signal and when he gets his papers it will be his first. »

The case of Ayyoub Bouaddi, summoned to midfield, also attracts attention. The heart of the young player from Lille swings between Morocco and France and the native of Senlis (Oise), courted by the Atlas Lions, struggles to make a choice. “I hope with all my heart that he stays in blue because I love the player and I want to see him wear the blue jersey in the future, Baticle dreams. We exchange together, it’s easier with a player who comes every time, he will make his choice when he wants to do so. »

Also asked about the talented 18-year-old midfielder, Didier Deschamps preferred to kick into touch less than three months before the 2026 World Cup. “He has this freedom to choose, I am not going to take it away from him. I haven’t interacted with him, I’m not going to change the way I operate. Obviously, we follow its performance, but there is very strong competition. I took 6 midfielders but there are others who have already come and who could be part of it. I’m not going to anticipate what I’m going to decide in May,” he said.

Two Euro qualifying matches will be on the program for this break for the Espoirs: against Luxembourg on March 26 in Differdange (7:30 p.m.), then against Iceland on March 30 in Auxerre (7 p.m.). The Bleuets are, for the moment, leaders of their qualifying group with 10 points.