International Football
Flu ravaged France battle to stop spread of virus on eve of World Cup final
France have not been overly troubled by the virus that has hit several players in the past few days, coach Didier Deschamps said, as the squad prepare to end their World Cup campaign on a high in Sunday’s final match against Argentina.
Central defensive pair Raphael Varane and Ibrahima Konate missed training on Friday due to illness, along with winger Kingsley Coman, while midfielder Adrien Rabiot and defender Dayot Upamecano did not play in Wednesday’s semi-final win over Morocco.
“We try to take the maximum precautions, to adapt and to deal with it, without going overboard. It is obviously a situation. If it wasn’t happening it would be better, but we manage as best we can with our medical staff,” Deschamps told a news conference on Saturday.
The coach and his captain Hugo Lloris both insisted they could not offer any further health updates as of Saturday morning.
“I am fine. As for the players, I left quite early this morning so they were all sleeping,” added Deschamps, who spoke at 11.30am local time.
“We are trying to handle the situation as well as possible and remain calm and focused. We’re looking forward to being ready for this important game.”
Later in the day, it was confirmed that Varane, Konate and Coman were present for training on Saturday. Rabiot and Upamecano had rejoined training on Friday.
Midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni and left-back Theo Hernandez, who also missed training on Friday because of knocks, were on the pitch.
Players, staff and other sources have spoken of a range of symptoms affecting the team in recent days, including fever, stomach pains and headaches. Reports have said it was partly because of the air-conditioning to keep players cool in the Qatar heat.
Measures have been taken at the team’s hotel, including isolating certain players, but Covid-19 testing is no longer imposed by world governing body Fifa.
On the pitch, France are aiming to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup.
The showdown at the Lusail Stadium will be Deschamps’ third World Cup final after he won it in 1998 as Les Bleus’ captain and then four years ago as their coach.
He oozed calm on Saturday despite the pressure of facing a team looking to give Lionel Messi his maiden title.
“I have no worries or stress. The important thing in preparing for a match like this is to remain calm,” said Deschamps.
Goalkeeper Lloris also said the game was bigger than just Messi.
“The event is too important to focus on one player. It’s a final between two great nations,” he said.
“When you face this kind of player (Messi), you have to pay attention to him, but this game is not just about him.”
France have shown they can adapt to any kind of team, which could be a big asset against Argentina, who have tested out several systems at these Finals.
“There will be a game plan to respect. We are still studying this team and preparing for this big game. There are always things we are not prepared for,” added Lloris.
“We need to be ready to go above and beyond. We know that we are capable of playing with possession and on the counter-attack. We have a lot of fast players. The strength of our team is that we can adapt.”
Win or lose against Argentina, France are going through a remarkable period of sustained success that began with their World Cup triumph in 1998 and continued with their Euro 2000 win.
Deschamps was not involved as Les Bleus reached the World Cup final again in 2006 and lost to Italy.
Now, as they look to make history in Doha, it is easy to forget France’s disastrous 2010 campaign and that they were not seen as contenders for major honours when Deschamps took over in 2012.
But he has now led them to three finals in four major tournaments, with Euro 2016 ending in an agonising extra-time loss to Portugal.
France also won the 2021 Nations League, and their last-16 exit at Euro 2020 looks like an anomaly.
Deschamps’ management has been key, even though he played down his personal role after the 2-0 semi-final win over Morocco.
“I’m not the most important,” he said. “It is about the French national team.”
–AFP/Reuters
Former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has been named the new head coach of the England national team, the country’s Football Association said in a statement on Wednesday.
The German, who is England’s third foreign manager, after Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello, will be assisted by Englishman Anthony Barry, the statement added.
“We are thrilled to have hired Thomas Tuchel, one of the best coaches in the world and Anthony Barry who is one of the best English coaches to support him,” FA CEO Mark Bullingham said.
Tuchel replaces Lee Carsley, England’s under-21 manager, who has been in temporary charge since the resignation of Gareth Southgate after England’s defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 final in July.
-Reuters
German Thomas Tuchel has been appointed head coach of the England national team on Wednesday.
Born: Aug. 29, 1973 in Krumbach, Germany.
PLAYING CAREER
* Tuchel played for his local club TSV Krumbach, before moving to FC Augsburg’s academy at the age of 15.
* He never played for Augsburg’s senior side and joined German second division team Stuttgarter Kickers in 1992.
* After eight league appearances for Kickers, Tuchel moved to fourth-tier SSV Ulm.
* Tuchel made 69 league appearances for Ulm as a central defender before he was forced to retire in 1998 at the age of 25 due to a knee injury.
COACHING CAREER
* Tuchel began his coaching career with a youth team role at VfB Stuttgart in 2000, working with future Germany internationals Mario Gomez and Holger Badstuber.
* He returned to Augsburg and took charge of their reserve team for the 2007-08 season.
* Tuchel was appointed Mainz 05 manager in 2009, replacing compatriot Juergen Klopp.
* He guided Mainz to Bundesliga stability during his five-year stint at the club, gaining plaudits for his team’s high energy, attacking style of play.
* Tuchel took over from Klopp as Borussia Dortmund coach in 2015.
* He led Dortmund to a 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the 2017 German Cup final. He was sacked by Dortmund three days later.
* Tuchel joined Paris St Germain in 2018 on a two-year contract, replacing Unai Emery.
* He won two Ligue 1 titles, including a domestic quadruple in his second season, and guided the club to their first Champions League final, where they lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich.
* Tuchel was sacked by PSG on Christmas Eve in 2020, despite the club finishing top of their Champions League group and sitting third in the Ligue 1 table.
* He was named Chelsea manager in January 2021 on an initial 18-month contract following the dismissal of Frank Lampard.
* Tuchel revived the team’s Premier League season and guided the London club to the Champions League final, where they beat Manchester City. Chelsea also won the Super Cup and Club World Cup.
* Chelsea sacked Tuchel in September 2022 following a shock 1-0 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb in their opening Champions League group game.
* Bayern Munich appointed Tuchel to succeed Julian Nagelsmann in March last year.
* Bayern decided to let Tuchel go at the end of the 2023-24 season despite a contract until 2025. Tuchel steered Bayern to the Bundesliga title in 2022-23, but they finished the last campaign without any silverware for the first time in more than a decade.
* Tuchel will become England’s third foreign manager after Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello.
* Tuchel will take over the team in January ahead of the qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup.
-Reuters
Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Mateus Mane has become hot property after Portugal named the 17-year-old in their Under-18 squad on Friday, one day after England included him in their squad.
Mane was called up for a second successive England youth camp by coach Liam Bramley before the team travel to Marbella for a four-team tournament this month.
Mane is eligible for both teams having played for the Portugal Under-17 side last season. As the Under-18 team is a non-UEFA age group, both nations are entitled to call the player up.
He made his England international debut last month against the Portugal Under-18 side who have named Mane in their squad for a four-nation tournament this month.
With both tournaments running concurrently, Mane can only play for one team and Wolves and England confirmed he would feature in Bramley’s side.
Reuters has contacted Portugal’s football association for clarification.
While players with multiple nationalities have played for more than one country if they are eligible, they are not allowed to switch allegiances at senior level – unless they have played only in friendly matches for the first country.
-Reuters
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