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Finland-France: in 2012, Deschamps began his romance on the bench of the Blues in Helsinki

2021-11-15T22:56:57.474Z


Didier Deschamps returns to Finland this Tuesday (8:45 p.m.). Where he led his first official match as coach of the Blues, in September 2012.


The extension of a beautiful story.

In the summer of 2012, Didier Deschamps succeeded Laurent Blanc on the bench of the France team.

A 98 world champion replaced by his captain at the time, also winner of Euro 2000. The first exit of the Blues version Deschamps is forgettable: a goalless draw in a friendly match against Uruguay on August 15 (0 -0).

That of September 7 is already a more colorful memory.

At the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, France begins its qualification campaign for the 2014 World Cup. It is modest Finland, 96th nation in the Fifa rankings at the time, which stands in its way.

To discover

  • Qualifying rankings for the 2022 World Cup

  • The 2022 World Cup qualifying calendar

Read also World 2022: against France, "a huge match in the history" of Finland

At the end of a rather dull first period, France leads 1-0 thanks to Abou Diaby, launched in depth by Karim Benzema.

The score will not budge.

The fault, in part, to the two goalkeepers Lukas Hradecky and Hugo Lloris, who will meet again this Tuesday nine years later in the same enclosure.

Deschamps, who spoke of a victory built on "a good state of mind", did not know then that he would beat the longevity record of a French coach.

Enough to look back with joy and pride.

For Abou Diaby, the memory is much more painful: the French midfielder, whose career was marred by injuries, will never wear the blue jersey again.

He was "only" 26 years old, and he will only play 20 more professional matches from that date to September 2016.

7 retirees, 2 survivors

Like him, 6 of them have hung up their boots since: Mickaël Landreau, Anthony Réveillère, Christophe Jallet, Patrice Evra, Rio Mavuba and Yohan Cabaye. Others, like Mamadou Sakho, Maxime Gonalons or Bafétimbi Gomis, now seem far from the Blues. Proof that time is passing. Finally, not for everyone: Lloris, already captain, and Benzema are the only two survivors of the 23 at the time. Benzema coming out of a disappointing Euro and that Deschamps was the first to defend. “

He has my confidence. He is a high-level striker

, ”assured the coach of the Blues. Words almost identical to those he made when recalling the Madrilenian, at the beginning of the year 2021. Like what, the France team has not changed that much.

The 11 des Bleus in September 2012:

Lloris - Evra, Sakho, Yanga M'Biwa, Réveillère - Diaby, Mavuba, Cabaye - Ribéry, Benzema, Ménez

Source: lefigaro

All sports articles on 2021-11-15

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