France-South Africa: The favorites and claws of our special correspondent

Special envoy to Villeneuve-d'Ascq

Crushs

Mbappé, more than ever a genius

What more can you say that you don't already know?

At 23, Kylian Mbappé pushes the limits with each of his outings, stacks the goals (a double on Tuesday, 25 and 26th goal in 54 selections) and dusts off the records (first player in history to be a scorer and decisive passer in of 5 consecutive games with the Blues).

This man is a football genius and the impression of ease, ease but also confidence that he reveals on the field is breathtaking.

Whether with PSG or the France team, he has taken on an XXL dimension this season.

From the stands, he gives the feeling of stepping on his opponents.

A chance for all the spectators present at the Pierre Mauroy stadium on Tuesday evening.

Read alsoThe notes of the Blues after the card against South Africa: Mbappé phenomenal, Giroud essential

Giroud snacks on Henry and puts Deschamps in a dilemma

Surprise guest after Karim Benzema's withdrawal, Olivier Giroud leaves for Milan with a broad smile.

A rally and two matches later, he scored two new goals, taking his tally to 48, three behind Thierry Henry.

But above all, by his statistics, his profile, his ability to bring something else to the blue collective, the thirty-year-old remembered the good memories of Didier Deschamps who had put him on display since the Euro.

"I don't know about the future, either," simply reacted "DD" in the spans of the Lille enclosure after the card against South Africa (5-0).

In a new status behind the top names Griezmann, Benzema and Mbappé, it's hard not to imagine Deschamps summoning Giroud again in June.

But in football...

Read also“These people are not supporters”: Deschamps very annoyed by the whistles towards Clauss

The scratches

Fools in the stands

Fools had found the good idea in the night from Monday to Tuesday to tag and cover with insults the portrait of Jonathan Clauss, located near the Lille enclosure.

Regional and sporting rivalry obliges, you understand… Identical situation when the teams were announced on Tuesday evening, then on all the balls touched by the side, with each time a bronca coming from part of the stands.

Not the vast majority, but as always the vocal minority managed to make themselves heard much more than they should have.

From the start of the match, we even saw Didier Deschamps get up from his bench and show a sign of annoyance towards the offending spectators.

In front of the media after the meeting, he expressed his anger ("Let's not give them too much importance,

Ben Yedder, the March downgrade

Summoned to the first list before the reunion at Clairefontaine, he could have thought of grabbing playing time with Karim Benzema's package... Failed.

Overtaken by Giroud in the hierarchy, he had to settle for crumbs between Marseille and Lille, even if he took the opportunity to score his third goal in 18 selections.

Way too little for a “super sub”.

What if this role was now held by Olivier Giroud?

Answer in June, but one certainty, in March the Monegasque striker is one of the big losers of the selection.