France team: Ferland Mendy, so far from the Euro

We can start at Real Madrid, have sent the Brazilian Marcelo back to the substitutes' bench, and be content with crumbs with the Blues.

This is the hard apprenticeship experienced by Ferland Mendy (25 years old, 7 selections) who has become essential for the Merengue, but still considered as a complementary player in the France team.

Summoned in the list of 26 for this first gathering of the year, the former left side of Lyon attended the draw (1-1) against Ukraine from the stands of the Stade de France - only 23 names can appear on the scoresheet - and from the substitutes' bench during the success in Kazakhstan (2-0).

For the moment, his international month of March therefore boils down to zero points in terms of playing time. This does not say anything about his use against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday for the third game of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. Even if it would be surprising, and not really in the habit of Didier Deschamps to do without its holder, Lucas Hernandez, for such an important match.

In reality, it is not the intrinsic level of Ferland Mendy that is the subject of debate.

Over the current season, he is surely the best French left-back, in any case the most consistent and the most efficient over time (33 games in all competitions with Real).

But he pays the abundance of goods at his post, and the strength displayed by the doublet in place for two years.

This is what the coach suggested last November when he chose not to call Ferland Mendy.

"I know his abilities and I know he plays with Real Madrid," Deschamps said.

But with their experience and what Lucas Digne and Lucas Hernandez have achieved with us in the last two meetings, they deserve to be there.

At the left side post there are a lot of players.

I'm not going to take 3 or 4 if, in the end, it's not to use them.

I prefer to take more offensive elements in order to have several options.

"

"He knows he needs patience and determination"

Able to cover the two side posts, the Madrilenian may also pay for his versatility, one of the reasons why the staff of the Blues sometimes summons him.

He also drags contrasting performances during his last three tenures with the Blues.

Its situation is therefore not one that would be described as ideal, or at the very least favorable, with a view to the next Euro.

It would of course be necessary to know the structure of the list that the coach wishes to adopt.

But if DD once again layer eight names of defenders, it would be surprising for Mendy to come to burn politeness to Digne performing again recently in Sweden (1-0) and Croatia (2-1).

Such a choice would be cruel for Zinédine Zidane's protégé, but it takes more to discourage a player who doctors declared finished for football at 14 because of hip arthritis.

“Ferland is calm, reacts those around him.

Generally speaking, he is not a boy who lets himself be eaten up by worries.

He knows he needs patience and determination.

Currently, there is no one better at European level at the left-back position, but we are talking about the France team with world champion players who have the confidence of the coach, and that is normal.

"It remains for Mendy to ensure that this" normality "now refers to his person and his automatic presence in the next lists of the Blues.

It is the next step in a career of linear progression and without blemish.