The crowd in Lyon was in an unforgiving mood. Just under 24 hours after the country closed out an unforgettable summer of sport, the unwavering home support that had carried French athletes in Paris since the end of July largely dissipated as the men’s football team lined up in Lyon to face Belgium.
All of Didier Deschamps, Kylian Mbappé, Mattéo Guendouzi and Bradley Barcola were booed by sections of the home support when their names were announced in the lineups. The most hostile reception was reserved for Barcola’s introduction in the second half, with the player’s departure for Paris Saint-Germain more than a year ago still leaving a bitter taste for locals.
Mbappé’s earlier dismissal of criticisms about the national team’s dull style of play – “they’re the least of my worries” – had sparked backlash among fans, all while Deschamps’ seemingly unflinching commitment to pragmatism has sapped the enthusiasm of sections of the fanbase.
“I know I don’t have many unconditional fans in Lyon,” the former Marseille player and head coach recognised after the game. “I won’t point fingers at any club in particular, but it’s the only downside to playing matches outside of the capital.” The vocally defiant reaction from parts of the crowd, though, was also indicative of growing aversion towards his team’s style of play, one that goes beyond club loyalties.
Twelve years into the job, Deschamps does not have a charm offensive as his No 1 priority – “If you’re bored, go watch something else,” he quipped in July. However, his team was undone by Spain’s tactical ambition and positive approach, casting further doubt on the win-at-all-costs approach that has characterised most of his time in charge.
Until now, the 55-year-old could point to his undeniable record of results when challenged on conservative set-ups. But in Friday’s 3-1 defeat to Italy on their return to action at the Parc des Princes, Les Bleus were overrun in midfield and uncharacteristically error-prone in defence – two sectors that had previously powered the team to tournament success.
France were also penalised by their absence of attacking invention against the Azzurri. Barcola’s opener after 14 seconds – stealing the ball from Giovanni Di Lorenzo before beating clubmate Gianluigi Donnarumma with a sharp finish – was an early sign of change, not least from a player who many felt should have been afforded more playing time at the Euros.
The ensuing 90 minutes, though, saw the team’s forwards turn in muddled performances lacking in incision and creativity. Weary and despondent, Les Bleus offered little reaction to going behind after half-time, despite spending more time on the ball than Luciano Spalletti’s men.
The performance reportedly prompted a vociferous post-match invective in the dressing room from Mike Maignan, who lamented what he saw as a lack of commitment on the part of his teammates. Speaking to the press after the match, the manager himself sought to mitigate the impact of the result, pointing out that his players were hardly in ideal physical condition.
On Tuesday, a similarly listless first 20 minutes augured much of the same for Les Bleus, despite a near-complete turnover in the starting XI. After surviving the initial wave of Belgian attacks, the hosts finally broke out – it was Randal Kolo Muani, whose deflected shot decided the teams’ meeting in Germany this summer, who volleyed in the opener on the half-hour mark after Ousmane Dembélé’s initial attempt was parried by Koen Casteels.
The former Barcelona winger then doubled the lead himself in the second half, cutting inside from wide before beating the Belgian goalkeeper from the edge of the box. The reinvigorated lineup – up against an admittedly disoriented Belgian side – appeared to have responded positively to their keeper’s rallying cry. On his first start for the senior team, the Roma midfielder Manu Koné’s performance encapsulated France’s evening. Having been robbed of possession on two occasions in the opening five minutes, one of which led to an early booking, the former Toulouse man soon regained composure and turned in an assured, all-action display. By the end, the 23-year-old was leading the team in touches, recoveries and duels won.
Koné featured in a three-man midfield playing alongside a resurgent Mattéo Guendouzi and N’Golo Kanté – a departure on Deschamps’ part from the two-man set-up that struggled a few days previously. There had been a number of formation changes over the course of the Euros, but this seemed to be the first switch in a while which had a meaningful (and positive) impact on France’s style.
Michael Olise, another of the Olympic silver medallists, was also awarded his first caps this past week. The Bayern Munich winger was somewhat ineffective in the final third, but did provide some spectacle with some audacious dribbling and linked up well with his attacking partners. “He still has some steps to take, but has a lot of potential and gives us some extra options,” Deschamps said after Tuesday’s match.
It’s Mbappé’s form that remains a concern, however. The captain, again largely ineffective as a lone striker against Italy, scarcely fared better during his substitute cameo in Lyon. While a move back out to the left wing would appear to be the logical solution, dropping Barcola would be tough to justify, given the 22-year-old’s scintillating form. With Marcus Thuram also flattering to deceive this past week, France are no closer to finding a first-choice frontline – in particular, a successor to Olivier Giroud to take up the target-man role. Only Kolo Muani has consistently provided assurances recently, with four goals in his last five France starts.
With most of the stalwarts of his first decade now out of the picture, Deschamps faces the task of not only putting together a coherent team on the pitch, but also creating an atmosphere in which the new leaders of the national team will emerge. Having been overlooked for the captaincy back in March in favour of Mbappé, Antoine Griezmann’s role appears increasingly peripheral. Instead, the new crop of leaders have emerged from the backline – Maignan, it appears, is already one. So too are Ibrahima Konaté and William Saliba, whose imperious partnership was again on display in Lyon, while Jules Koundé has locked down the right-back position – historically something of a revolving door – after an impressive summer.
As with any post-tournament international break, the main objective is to foster the conditions for the team that might play at the 2026 World Cup to emerge. Deschamps’ willingness to bring some of the Olympians on board and tactical flexibility in the past week may not be a sign of complete reinvention yet, but there is a sense that the head coach is aware of the need for turnover after a stuttering calendar year so far.
Whether the two lineups on display this week will crystallise into a discernible first-choice team further into the autumn remains to be seen. Although he has little to justify for the time being – and there was little doubt his position would be confirmed after the Euros – Deschamps will have quelled some of the popular discontent surrounding his position. The overarching ethos, however, remains the same: substance over style.
This pragmatism is invariably at odds with the euphoria that swept the country during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, inspired by the exploits of home favourites such as Léon Marchand, Teddy Riner and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. Even if defeat to Italy does turn out to be a blip, Les Bleus will need more than just results if they are to catch a post-Games wave of support.
