France wants to rekindle flame under Deschamps but doubts remain | France

TThe crowd in Lyon was in an unforgiving mood. Less than 24 hours after the country had concluded an unforgettable summer of sport, the unwavering home support that had sustained the French athletes since late July in Paris largely evaporated as the men’s football team lined up in Lyon to take on Belgium.

Didier Deschamps, Kylian Mbappé, Mattéo Guendouzi and Bradley Barcola were all booed by sections of the home fan when their names were announced in the line-ups. The most hostile reception was reserved for Barcola’s second-half introduction, with the player’s departure to Paris Saint-Germain over a year ago still leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of the locals.

Mbappe’s previous dismissal of criticism of the national team’s dull playing style – “that’s the least of my worries” – had sparked a backlash among fans, while Deschamps’ seemingly unwavering commitment to pragmatism has sapped enthusiasm from sections of the fanbase.

“I know I don’t have many unconditional fans in Lyon,” the former Marseille player and head coach admitted after the match. “I won’t point to any club in particular, but it’s the only downside of playing games outside the capital.” However, the noisy, defiant reaction from sections of the crowd was also indicative of a growing distaste for his team’s style of play, a style that goes beyond club loyalty.

Twelve years in the job, Deschamps has not made a charm offensive his No. 1 priority – “If you’re bored, go watch something else,” he joked in July. But his team were undermined by Spain’s tactical ambition and positive approach, casting further doubt on the win-at-all-costs approach that has characterised much of his time in charge.

Until now, the 55-year-old has been able to point to his undeniable record of results when challenged on conservative lineups. But in Friday’s 3-1 defeat to Italy on their return to the Parc des Princes, The Blues were overrun in midfield and were unusually error-prone in defence – two areas that had previously led the team to tournament success.

France was also punished for their lack of offensive inventions against the Azure BlueBarcola’s opening goal after 14 seconds – stealing the ball from Giovanni Di Lorenzo before beating club-mate Gianluigi Donnarumma with a crisp finish – was an early sign of change, not least from a player many felt should have been given more playing time at the European Championship.

The next 90 minutes, however, saw the team’s attackers deliver a disorganized performance, lacking in incision and creativity. Tired and dejected, The Blues barely responded to a deficit after the break, despite having more time on the ball than Luciano Spalletti’s men.

The performance reportedly prompted a noisy post-match invective in the dressing room from Mike Maignan, who complained about what he saw as a lack of commitment from his team-mates. Speaking to the press after the match, the manager himself attempted to soften the impact of the result, pointing out that his players were not exactly in ideal physical condition.

On Tuesday, the first 20 minutes, which were also lackluster, predicted the same for the future. The Bluesdespite an almost complete turnover in the starting XI. After surviving the first wave of Belgian attacks, the hosts finally broke through – it was Randal Kolo Muani, whose deflected shot had decided the team’s meeting in Germany this summer, who fired home the opener on the half-hour mark after Ousmane Dembélé’s initial effort was saved by Koen Casteels.

The former Barcelona winger then doubled the lead himself in the second half, cutting inside and beating the Belgian keeper from the edge of the penalty area. The new line-up – against an admittedly disoriented Belgian team – seemed to have responded positively to their keeper’s rallying cry. In his first start for the first team, Roma midfielder Manu Koné’s performance summed up the French evening. After being robbed of possession twice in the opening five minutes, one of which resulted in an early yellow card, the former Toulouse man quickly regained his composure and delivered an assured, action-packed display. By the end, the 23-year-old was leading the team in touches, recoveries and duels won.

Koné played in a three-man midfield alongside a resurgent Mattéo Guendouzi and N’Golo Kanté – a departure for Deschamps’ side from the two-man formation that had struggled a few days earlier. There had been a number of formation changes during the Euros, but this appeared to be the first change in some time to have a meaningful (and positive) impact on France’s style of play.

Michael Olise, another Olympic silver medallist, also got his first caps last week. The Bayern Munich winger was somewhat ineffective in the final third but provided some spectacle with some daring dribbles and worked well with his attacking partners. “He still has some steps to take but he has a lot of potential and gives us some extra options,” Deschamps said after Tuesday’s match.

It is Mbappe’s form, however, that remains a concern. The captain, once again largely ineffective as a lone striker against Italy, fared little better when he came on as a substitute in Lyon. While a move back to the left wing seems the logical solution, it would be hard to see Barcola dropping him given the 22-year-old’s stunning form. With Marcus Thuram also flattering to deceive last week, France are no closer to finding a first-choice forward – in particular, a successor to Olivier Giroud to take on the role of striker. Only Kolo Muani has made consistent appearances of late, with four goals in his last five starts for France.

With most of the mainstays of his first decade out of the picture, Deschamps now faces the task of not only assembling a cohesive team on the pitch but also creating an atmosphere in which the national team’s new leaders will emerge. After being passed over for the captaincy in favour of Mbappé in March, Antoine Griezmann’s role has looked increasingly peripheral. Instead, the new crop of leaders have emerged from the back – Maignan is already one, apparently. So too have Ibrahima Konaté and William Saliba, whose imperious partnership was once again on display at Lyon, while Jules Koundé has secured the right-back position – historically something of a revolving door – after an impressive summer.

As with any post-tournament international break, the overriding aim is to create the conditions in which the team that could potentially play at the 2026 World Cup can emerge. Deschamps’ willingness to bring a number of Olympians on board and his tactical flexibility in the past week may not yet be a sign of complete reinvention, but there is a sense that the head coach is aware of the need for change after a stuttering calendar year so far.

Whether the two lineups on display this week will crystallise into a recognisable first-choice team in the autumn remains to be seen. While he has little to justify for now – and there was little doubt that his position would be confirmed after the Euros – Deschamps will have suppressed some of the popular discontent with his position. The overarching ethos, however, remains the same: substance over style.

This pragmatism is invariably at odds with the euphoria that swept the country during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, inspired by the performances of home favourites such as Léon Marchand, Teddy Riner and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. Even if the defeat against Italy turns out to be a blip, The Blues will need more than just results if they want to experience a wave of support after the Games.