MY ACCOUNT
Didier Deschamps says those who jeered Jonathan Clauss on his full debut are not true supporters and their opinion therefore does not count.
Clauss was handed a first start for Les Blues in Tuesday’s 5-0 friendly win against South Africa, four days after earning his maiden cap as a late substitute against Ivory Coast.
However, the occasion – and indeed France’s emphatic victory – was somewhat overshadowed by the reaction Clauss received from a section of his country’s own fans.
The 28-year-old was targeted at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, the home of club side Lens’ fierce rivals Lille, and Deschamps has praised the full-back for the way he handled the boos.
“I wanted to make him as comfortable as possible, so I find it regrettable to say the least what happened,” he said at his post-match news conference.
“It goes against what the France team is, but it didn’t stop him from bouncing back. Those who foolishly protested with whistles, it was faded by what he was doing on the pitch.”
Asked if the jeers call into question France’s decision to stage friendlies away from the Stade de France, Deschamps said: “No, I don’t think so.
“But the fact we’re talking about it, even if it was only a few people, encourages them to do it. It must be a non-subject – there’s no place for it in a stadium.
“There is a rivalry between clubs, which I understand, but here we are with the France team.
“I ask them to do everything possible to unite the team. The other people are not supporters; they don’t matter.”
Clauss can be pleased with his display, having intercepted the ball more times than anyone (five), while only Adrien Rabiot won possession more often (14 compared to seven).
In an attacking sense, meanwhile, only Olivier Giroud (eight) and Kylian Mbappe (20) had more touches in the opposition box than the defender’s five, level with Lucas Digne.
“He has a lot of dynamism and is able to defend,” Deschamps added. “I told him not to play with the handbrake today.”
Mbappe scored twice in France’s routine victory and assisted Matteo Guendouzi’s first international goal late on after Khuliso Mudau had been sent off for the visitors.
In doing so, Mbappe became the first player to net in five successive France matches since Karim Benzema did so between November 2013 and June 2014.
The Paris Saint-Germain striker is 25 goals short of Thierry Henry’s record of 51 for France, but Deschamps insists his side are not a one-man team.
“It’s not Kylian and the others, but Kylian with the others – that’s important.
“His legs were on fire today. His ability to score and accelerate places him among the world’s most outstanding players.”
Wissam Ben Yedder was also on target for France, as was Olivier Giroud with his 48th international goal, moving him within touching distance of Henry’s all-time record.
Giroud will be 36 by the time the 2022 World Cup comes around in November and Deschamps could not offer any guarantees over his long-term future in the squad.
“I’ve had discussions with him, as I have with many players,” Deschamps said. “I don’t know about the future and neither does he.
“But when he’s here, he has the ability to score. His profile is well known – he’s a support striker. He has this sense of the goal and is important for us even without scoring.”
