In an interview with L'Équipe, Michel Platini, the former playmaker of the Blues, comments, among other things, on the return of Karim Benzema to the France team after five years of absence.
"Why didn't you pick it up earlier, if there's no problem?"
wonders the former French coach.
Everyone knows that Benzema sportingly deserves to be in the France team.
If he was no longer selected, it was for reasons other than football.
It's politics
(…).
You have to ask the FFF and Didier Deschamps why they reinstated him.
"
“Me, I only see the player, adds Michel Platini.
Benzema has a double talent, that of playing well for himself, but also that of making others play well.
Look at how he put himself at the service of Ronaldo, before taking on another dimension when Ronaldo left for Juventus (in 2018).
Benzema will be good for Mbappé.
"
"With a player like Mbappé, I would have really enjoyed myself"
The former UEFA president has sometimes criticized the Parisian striker for relying solely on his speed.
“I hadn't looked at him as closely as I have in the past few months,” he corrects.
I really wanted to make my opinion, and he impressed me.
Even if Boniek and Rouyer went fast and gave the ball well, with a player like Mbappé, I would have really enjoyed myself.
Because it is really complete.
He has the left foot and the right foot.
He is smart, very, very quick to start.
In addition, he has his head on his shoulders.
"
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When asked if the Blues version Euro 2021, that is to say the 2018 world champions plus Benzema, are stronger than those of 1998 or the European champions 1984, Platini hesitates. "The common point between my generation and the 1998 world champions is that we played with a center forward who did not score," he says. In 2018, the stats sheet of Olivier Giroud, the tricolor scorer, was also left blank. “Yes, but these Blues had Mbappé who scored (4 goals), observes Platini. It's like he's center-forward. And Griezmann also scored (4 goals). The more a team has great attackers, the less it needs to play well… ”
