In a French team which is getting younger over the meetings, they will be two framework elements of the French selection which will face Finland this Wednesday evening (9:10 p.m.) in a friendly match at the Stade de France.
Not always used to playing the leading roles with France, Steve Mandanda, 35, and Lucas Digne, 27, expected holders, nonetheless remain precious soldiers in the eyes of Didier Deschamps who maintains them great confidence.
Steve Mandanda, the big brother
Obviously that works him a little.
Present this Tuesday at a press conference on the eve of France-Finland, Steve Mandanda referred two or three times to his 35 years.
"It does not make me younger", reacted the goalkeeper of Olympique de Marseille, about Marcus Thuram called in Blue, he who started his international career with… Lilian Thuram, his father, in 2008. A little later , the one who will start this Wednesday at the Stade de France laughed in reaction to another question: "It's because I'm old".
It is true that the dean of the group does not really represent the future of the France team in his post.
But he embodies a kind of permanence, and a hyphen between a dark period, those of Euro 2008 and the Knysna strike in 2010, and the more glorious hours when the Blues have found the light from 2014 Number two behind Hugo Lloris since 2009, Steve Mandanda (33 caps) has never been called into question as an understudy by the three coaches he has worked with in the France team (Domenech, Blanc and Deschamps).
He simply missed the 2014 World Cup because of a neck injury.
“However, I cannot resign myself to being number two, he confided to the Parisian-Today in France in 2015. It took me a while to understand and accept this situation, especially since I was number one at the start (
Editor's note: from 2008 to 2009 before Lloris won
).
But I am aware of the situation and of this particular post.
We don't change number one like that.
In addition, Hugo (
Editor's note: Lloris
) is efficient.
The only thing I can do is be good with my club and with the selection when I am called upon.
"
Always so regular with Marseille
And he is.
With OM, Mandanda is one of the few, if not the only Olympian, to maintain his level of last season.
It takes a large part in the 4th place of Marseille in Ligue 1, with the 3rd best defense (8 goals conceded).
Franck Raviot, the coach of the goalkeepers in the selection, once again noted during OM-Lille (1-1, on September 20) that he supervised and where Mandanda was decisive.
If the Marseillais is still invited to the castle, it is therefore, and above all, for his performances.
Steve Mandanda could inherit the captain's armband against Finland./LP / Frédéric Dugit
But Didier Deschamps also knows that he can count on an element capable of ensuring the relay with the younger generations and which fulfills this role with equanimity.
Kylian Mbappé also likes to exchange with his 13-year-old elder, as he already did at PSG with Gianluigi Buffon.
“I'm not annoyed, it's a reality,” says Mandanda of his status as a big brother.
I am the oldest.
I have a role to play, I assume it and I do it with great pleasure if I am asked to be present or to give my opinion.
"
“I know his role as a manager and leader, adds Didier Deschamps who could give him the captain's armband against Finland.
He had a tough time but made the right choices to extend his career.
It is up to him to maintain his level.
He is unaffected by events and stays positive to pull others up.
“Mandanda's lease in Blue could also continue beyond Euro 2021 since the Olympian goalkeeper has extended his contract with Marseille until 2024. Unless the one who has forged strong friendships with Didier Digard, André Ayew, Laurent Koscielny or André-Pierre Gignac do not decide to hang up the crampons before.
For who knows, start a second life again and again in football and certainly not very far from OM.
Lucas Digne has really found his place
Monday morning, Lucas Digne crossed the gates of Clairefontaine as a regular.
The left side of the Blues, who should start this Wednesday against Finland, has been familiar with the castle since his first selection in March 2014 against the Netherlands (2-0) at only 20 years old.
Precocity which has already allowed him to appear 66 times on the sheet of a Blues match.
But often in the shoes of the eternal replacement.
Long lining of Patrice Evra especially at Euro 2016 which he did not play the slightest minute, the 27-year-old defender has 33 selections of which only 21 as holder.
The fault goes in part to Lucas Hernandez whose emergence just before the World Cup deprived Digne of the coronation in Russia.
“Unfortunately, I can do nothing to remove this huge disappointment from him,” breathed Didier Deschamps, who however never ruled him out of his plans.
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Since October 2018, he has been called to each gathering.
Better, the Everton player started 10 of the 19 matches for which he was available with very convincing performances like the last match in Croatia (2-1) where he delivers a marvelous assist for Mbappé on goal of victory.
Enough to rule out the competition from Ferland Mendy, Layvin Kurzawa or Benjamin Mendy and pose a threat to Hernandez who nevertheless remains one step ahead in the eyes of the tricolor staff.
"I am necessarily thinking of the Euro"
"I do not really ask myself the question of my status, I no longer take the lead, sweeps Digne.
I can see that I am starting more meetings and being a start in Croatia is a mark of the coach's confidence.
It makes you want to give it back.
And as I play more and more, I necessarily think of the Euro.
It's a goal.
But I also remember that I had always been called the year before the World Cup… ”The player trained in Lille, however, seems to have digested this disillusionment and is fully benefiting from his choice to join Everton in the summer of 2018.
Lucas Digne should know his 34th cap when receiving Finland./LP/Olivier Arandel
Under the leadership of Carlo Ancelotti who amazes him "by his humility for a coach who has been in the biggest clubs in the world", Digne has become a key player in a team of which he has even sometimes worn the captain's armband.
Elected best player of the Toffees by the supporters last season, the under-20 world champion in 2013 finally acquired a starting place that he had not managed to obtain at PSG or FC Barcelona.
“I also went to look for that because the club wanted to give me responsibilities.
At my age, I wanted and needed it, continues Digne.
I have a linear progression.
The English championship and its intensity have improved me.
The fact of playing regularly allows me to have rhythm.
Physically, I progress by repeating as many efforts.
However I do not do more weight training, the number of duels per match largely compensates for that!
"
A rise in speed appreciated by Didier Deschamps.
“Lucas has matured,” emphasizes the coach.
His offensive contribution has always been important, but now he is much more efficient and attentive in the defensive phase.
With us, he played a lot of games and what he does is more consistent ”.
Enough to shake up the hierarchy in the French team in the long term?
“I'm going to enter the prime of life as a footballer, I can still progress in almost all areas, is content to target Lucas Digne.
I have great years ahead of me ”.
The next one could lead him to the Euro in the shoes of a holder.