If most of the footballers of the
French team
kept without making big statements or public appearances after the World Cup, beyond the logical exposure of playing again for their respective clubs, the case of
Hugo Lloris
is just the opposite.
The French goalkeeper, world champion in Russia 2018 and runner-up in
Qatar 2022,
first announced his retirement from the national team.
Later, he indirectly attacked
Dibu Martínez,
saying that
"I don't know how to do stupid things in the goal or destabilize the rival by playing on the limit"
and now he returned to refer to the final against Argentina with a forceful definition.
Hugo Lloris during the press conference prior to the World Cup final.
AP/Christophe Ena.
While there were those who branded the crossing between Argentina and the Netherlands as "The Battle of Lusail", due to the words of
Louis Van Gaal
in the preview,
Lionel Messi
's Topo Gigio and everything that surrounded that hot quarterfinal match, Lloris put the final at the same level:
"It was like a boxing match,"
he said emphatically.
"These are painful moments. We had a fight, it was a real fight. It was like a boxing match
," said the archer, in dialogue with the Telefoot channel, recalling the dramatic outcome of the World Cup.
Questioned about not having been able to save any of the five penalties that were kicked against him -one in regulation time and the four in the shootout-,
Cristian Cuti Romero
's teammate in Tottenham made his own self-criticism:
"You say to yourself: what Could I have done better?"
"Penalties are something with which in my career I was not successful. Unfortunately, that night the success was on the side of the Argentines
," he lamented.
In turn,
he praised the possible successors of the captaincy that he leaves vacant in Les Bleus.
"A player like
Raphael Varane
can calmly claim it, but there is also another one who is growing powerfully at all levels, both on and off the pitch and even in the life of the group and in the dressing room, who is
Kylian Mbappé".
"I gave it my all"
In an interview with L'Equipe,
Hugo Lloris announced his retirement from the French team on January 9.
At the age of 36, he says goodbye to him after playing 145 games with his country's shirt (a historical record ahead of Lilian Thuram's 142) and a world championship.
In addition, he is the goalkeeper with the most PJ (20) in World Cups.
The reason for his decision is clear:
"I see that I no longer recover mentally as before. I finished (the World Cup) exhausted.
I hope that disconnecting a little more will allow me to continue playing at the highest level for several years and be fresher," said the goalkeeper, who has a contract with Tottenham until 2024.
The French coach,
Didier Deschamps
, regretted the news, but respected his determination:
"We must respect his decision, even if he still had his full place in our team."
Together
with him,
Steve Mandanda
, the 37-year-old '1' substitute who had minutes in the match vs.
Tunisia when the classification to the eighth was already assured, he also withdrew from the National Team.
look also
The bad luck of Hugo Lloris: the world runner-up goalkeeper scored a goal against Arsenal
After the shorts, Enzo Fernández received his deserved tribute in Benfica
