This Wednesday morning, Didier Deschamps, his players and 60 million French people are three days away from the big meeting with the England team, in the quarter-finals at the Al-Bayt stadium on Saturday (8 p.m.).
Tuesday at midday, the Blues said goodbye to their families and loved ones who had been keeping them company since Sunday evening, the coach having granted a full day of freedom on Monday.
The qualification against Poland (3-1) in the round of 16 on Sunday afternoon is slowly moving away in the rear view mirror, while work has resumed within the France group.
Mbappé absent from collective training
The star striker of the Blues did not take part in collective training Tuesday evening in Doha, favoring recovery work.
The world champion, 23, worked in the recovery room, according to the management of the Blues who mentioned a "classic" situation two days after the last match.
Mbappé took part in the entire round of 16 win 3-1 against Poland on Sunday, around 100 minutes of play, during which he scored twice.
All the other incumbents took part in a light cleaning, at the Jassim-bin-Hamad stadium, before leaving the substitutes to play an opposition on a reduced field, with Steve Mandanda and Alphonse Areola in goal.
Hugo Lloris, Jules Koundé, Adrien Rabiot, Antoine Griezmann and Aurélien Tchouaméni, the only Frenchman to start in all of the first four games, attended this opposition sitting on floor mats.
The sentence: "This 52nd goal relieves me enormously"
Present at a press conference before training on Tuesday, Olivier Giroud naturally returned to the goal which, beyond the opener against Poland on Sunday, made him the best French scorer in history. with 52 goals, one unit ahead of Thierry Henry.
"This record reminds me of all the years that have passed," said the AC Milan center forward.
Eleven in the France team, highs, very high, moments a little lower.
The most important thing is to set a good example, for young players who want to believe in their dream.
I arrived in the France team at 25, I didn't know the very high level at 20.
If it can serve as an example, it is an immense pride.
You can't have everything right away in life, which is what young people want today.
You always have to believe in your qualities.
I am very proud to have arrived there.
I know that the team still needs me but this 52nd goal relieves me enormously.
You can see it on my face, moreover, because a lot of people have spoken to me about it before.
»
By opening the scoring before half-time, Olivier Giroud put the Blues on track and at the same time became the only holder of the 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒅 goals in the history of the French team (52) ⚽🥇 # FRAPOL #EnergieduFoot pic.twitter.com/nIAhvAyXNH
– Energy of Foot (@energiedufoot) December 5, 2022
Giroud was also asked about the "bromance" which seems to reign between Mbappé and him, thanks to the offensive efficiency of the Blues so far.
“It's natural, spontaneous, commented the former Gunner.
Top-level sport, football in particular, provides magical moments.
Of course, it was not the winning goal of the World Cup, but this goal meant a lot.
Scoring the first goal is an important step in a match and we know how hard it is.
This realization was a huge relief.
My relationship with him is very good and, for me, it always has been.
It is this enthusiasm that we want to convey in this team.
»
Stress explained by Griezmann
With the approach of such a deadline, the pressure will not fail to mount in the heads of the players.
Breaking with the agreed formulas, Antoine Griezmann has nicely described this phenomenon in recent days, reporting the snippets of a discussion he had with the “little new ones” Mattéo Guendouzi and Jordan Veretout, thirteen selections between them: “This what they felt against Tunisia, I felt it against Australia, this stress, heavy legs, you don't feel the ball when you pass.
And over the matches, it's gone.
In 2018, it was almost every game like that.
In 2014, it wasn't me, I couldn't play..."
500 euros the place at the stadium, even 600...
Since Sunday, the tricolor supporters present in Doha have been working and sweating profusely in the hope of obtaining a place at the Al-Bayt stadium on Saturday evening – for those who do not already have a ticket, of course.
The FIFA ticketing platform displays the same message over and over: no more places available for France - England.
The last resort remains the black market.
For an “entry-level” seat, the ticket would be negotiated in recent hours at three times its amount, or between 500 and 600 euros.
However, according to a logic specific to this type of exchange, the prices would tend to drop in the last hours before kick-off.