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French President Emmanuel Macron (right) and Fifa President Gianni Infantino in the World Cup semi-final between France and Morocco
Photo:
Tom Weller / dpa
This article will be continuously updated
French President
Macron
: "Now the trophy!"
8.18 a.m .:
Emmanuel Macron swore the French national team to successfully defend the title during his cabin visit.
"Thank you, Les Bleus!
Now the trophy!” tweeted the President after the semi-final win over World Cup sensation Morocco (2-0) in Al-Khour.
In another tweet he showed three French flags – in the final on Sunday (4 p.m., TV: ARD and MagentaTV) against Argentina with superstar Lionel Messi waving the third title after 1998 and 2018 to the Grande Nation. Macron cheered in the stadium with his fists raised and cast off any presidential reticence.
He was "infinitely proud," he said.
National coach Didier Deschamps did not want to reveal exactly what the head of state said about the team during his visit.
Instead, he turned his attention to Argentina.
"Lionel Messi is in great form," he said, "one of the best players in the world - and he showed that here.
We want to try to limit his impact on the game."
However, a wave of colds is raging in the Equipe Tricolore.
Defenders Dayot Upamecano and Adrien Rabiot therefore missed the duel with Morocco, but according to Deschamps they should be available against Argentina.
Kingsley Coman only complained of symptoms on the day of the game.
"We're not worried about that, but we have to be careful not to spread it further," Deschamps said.
Injured
Benzema
apparently wants to get to the final
8.05 a.m .:
France’s injured star striker Karim Benzema would like to fly to Qatar for the final against Argentina on Sunday evening, according to information from the Spanish sports newspaper “El Mundo Deportivo”.
The 34-year-old already has permission from his Real Madrid club, the newspaper wrote on Wednesday.
Benzema suffered a muscle injury in training in Qatar shortly before the first World Cup match against Australia.
He then left the French team's headquarters and flew to Madrid for treatment and rehabilitation.
Because coach Didier Deschamps, unlike after the injuries to Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig) or Presnel Kimpembe (Paris Saint-Germain), refrained from nominating a replacement for Benzema, the striker is still officially part of the French World Cup squad and could in the event a final victory against the Argentines also be honored as world champions.
Voss-Tecklenburg lacks "mixing" in the DFB expert council
8:00 a.m .:
National coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg does not entirely agree with the composition of the committee for the realignment of the men’s national team.
"Personally, I'm missing a bit of a mix," said the 54-year-old as a World Cup expert on ZDF: "I'm missing a bit of internationality.
It's good for us to think outside the box." When ZDF reporter Jochen Breyer asked if she was missing a woman on the seven-member commission, Voss-Tecklenburg replied: "I'm missing her anyway."
The expert group led by DFB President Bernd Neuendorf and DFB Vice President Hans-Joachim Watzke consists of Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Rudi Völler, Oliver Kahn, Matthias Sammer and Oliver Mintzlaff.
The committee is to advise on the future of the DFB selection after the early elimination at the World Cup in Qatar and the future occupation of the post of former managing director Oliver Bierhoff.
Neuendorf also announced the establishment of a second, internal DFB commission last Tuesday at his first public appearance since returning to the World Cup.
This committee includes, among others, EM OC boss Philipp Lahm.
"I'm glad there are two working groups," said Voss-Tecklenburg: "We have a lot to do in the DFB."
ngo/dpa/sid
