The eleventh of the Deschamps era.
After Hugo Lloris, Steve Mandanda, Raphaël Varane, Blaise Matuidi, Laurent Koscielny, Yohan Cabaye, Mamadou Sakho, Karim Benzema, Olivier Giroud and Paul Pogba, Presnel Kimpembe will become this Monday evening in Split the eleventh captain since 2012. Obviously, Hugo Lloris usually wears the armband but the boss of the Blues opts for a rotation three days after the defeat against Denmark (1-2), which also affects the goalkeepers.
As for Varane, he already left the rally and Pogba never came.
The clue was given on Sunday by the presence at a press conference of the PSG defender, who did not want to reveal anything about his appointment.
Kimpembe is a leader, the vice-captain of the capital club, behind Marquinhos.
He does not hesitate to speak up or to say what he thinks.
In Paris, his annoyances against Neymar are known to all.
He reached this status for the first time when he was no longer a regular starter in the France team.
In the three-man defense, the coach favors Koundé, Varane and Lucas Hernandez, his most direct competitor.
But the Munich player managed his best performances in selection as a left-back, not as a defender, which could reshuffle the cards.
He wants to discuss “quickly” with PSG
During the previous edition of the final four of the League of Nations, Kimpembe had a hard time not starting the match against Belgium.
He had started the final against Spain but since then he has played understudy.
This piece of fabric thus reminds him of his importance in selection.
As new captain, the left-hander used the usual term which refers to the fight: “Against Croatia, it will not be easy, it will be a good battle!
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But he will have especially surprised because of an answer on his future at PSG, where he left uncertainty.
“Everyone knows my love for PSG.
It's reciprocal.
I turn 27 in August, a key moment in my career, he says.
My next contract will be important.
I'm waiting to meet the new sports management, find out about the new project, that interests me.
We're going to have to talk pretty quickly.
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