France leads its group in the qualifying round for the Euro 2024 football championship, but coach Didier Deschamps refuses to get swept away by the team’s strong start as they prepare to face Ireland in Paris tomorrow, Thursday. France has collected 12 points with a perfect record after four matches in Group B without conceding any goals.
While two teams qualify from the group, the team that reached the final of the 2022 World Cup is on track for qualification halfway through the qualifiers, but this seems not good enough for coach Deschamps. He told reporters on Wednesday, “I’ve faced this situation before. We didn’t qualify. I am pragmatic and realistic, and the players are aware of that too.” He added, “If that is enough, then so be it, but we need to collect points.”
France opened the qualifiers with a big 4-0 win over the Netherlands but struggled to earn a 1-0 victory against Ireland in Dublin. Deschamps expects further difficulties in the upcoming match in Paris. He said, “The Dublin match was complicated. We played three days earlier against the Netherlands, while Ireland played a friendly and was physically prepared. Ireland has the quality and will perform better, and we need to create defensive problems for our opponents.”
The French coach denied speculation about the absence of forward Randall Kolo Muani from the match. Kylian Mbappé was expected to attend the press conference, but second captain Antoine Griezmann appeared before the media. The Atlético Madrid forward talked about the challenges he faces playing in midfield for the French national team. He said, “It was complicated to find myself in this position and to quickly adapt between my role at Atlético and my position here. I will give my all and I know what to do whether I’m in the midfield or up front.”
Following the match against Ireland, the French team will travel to face Germany in a friendly on September 12.
