France defeated Norway 4-1 in their final FIFA World Cup group stage match. Assistant coach Stéphane appeared at the post-match press conference and answered questions from reporters. Below is a transcript of his remarks.
Reporter: Hello, I'm Baptiste Deprez from Le Figaro. What will you take away from this victory and from finishing top of the group? What did you like? Which aspects of the game were you less satisfied with? Did you get in touch with Didier (Deschamps) after the match?
I’ll start with the last question. No, I haven’t contacted Didier since this morning, but I will get in touch with him shortly.
Regarding the match, I was pleased with the players' commitment, the overall teamwork, the one-twos and three-man combinations, and the attacking phases in which we put the opponent under pressure. Of course, I also liked the goals—all three of them. Scoring three goals in a FIFA World Cup match is not common, even in the group stage.
I also really liked Diouf's header. I think it was the first headed goal of his career, and it came from Barcola's cross. Overall, there were many positives. We could have scored more, but we already scored four.
If I were to be a little perfectionist and talk about what I didn’t like, it would be that at times we became a bit too relaxed and didn’t press as intensely, which obviously created some opportunities for the opponent. We must try to eliminate that going forward, because as we progress, the quality of our opponents will increase. I’m not saying Norway lack quality, but they weren’t at full strength today either.
In short, it was a good day, with plenty of goals and attacking moments. I think the players enjoyed the game a lot.
Reporter: Good evening, I'm Jean-François. Three matches, three victories, and 10 goals scored by France. Would you say this was an ideal first phase? Also, Mbappé has just given an interview, and he was clearly the man of the match. He seemed a bit emotional, even a little irritated. Has he been affected by his performances in previous matches not always meeting expectations, and by external criticism? Thank you.
Yes. Mbappé is a normal person, and like everyone else, he feels the impact when criticism comes.
He is a Ballon d'Or-level player, but also one who has unfortunately experienced injury problems. Each time, however, he has known how to bounce back, work hard, move forward again, and once more excel in his particular strengths, such as dribbling and finishing.
He will subtly deceive the opponent, lead them in the wrong direction, and then finish with a shot. That made him particularly effective today. Scoring three goals in a FIFA World Cup match is a very special achievement. I'm not even sure how long it has been since someone completed a hat-trick so quickly.
As for the first part of your question, nine points from three matches is excellent. If someone had told us a month ago that this would happen, we would have signed up for it immediately. The third match is often very challenging because it does not usually take place in the context we are accustomed to. So there is certainly a lot to be satisfied with from this match.
I also miss Didier very much. We are all happy that he will be back soon, and he will join us for training tomorrow afternoon.
Reporter: Hello, I'm Philippe Sanfourche from RTL. We know that for goalkeepers, it's a bit like forwards—sometimes a match comes down to one or two key moments. Mike Maignan was crucial in the second half. Do you think he needed a performance like that to truly get his World Cup going? Also, on a personal note: yesterday you said you didn't necessarily feel completely at ease standing here. Do you now feel a sense of accomplishment?
As for Mike, there wasn't much he could do about the goal conceded—the 2-1. The shot came very, very quickly.
As for the penalty save, he did very well, because if it had become 3-2 at that moment, who knows what would have happened next. So he was very effective there.
There was some initial criticism, but I don’t think he was affected by it. In fact, I’m sure of it, because I spoke to him, and he is simply continuing on his path, continuing to train with Franck Raviot. There are no issues in that regard.
As for myself, of course there is satisfaction in having completed the task, but I am very happy that Didier is coming back tomorrow. We will re-form our partnership to face the increasingly difficult matches ahead.
Reporter: Hello, I'm Franco from the Argentine sports media. The group stage is over, and you are currently in excellent form at the World Cup. Do you think this team is stronger than the 2022 team?
You're asking me if this team is stronger than the 2022 team, right?
I think it is still too early to say. This team is completely different from the 2022 one. In the current squad, more than half of the players have never played in a World Cup. We have many young players, especially young attacking players.
Only as the tournament progresses, especially when we face very strong teams, will we truly see whether we can raise our level. Such matches will come soon.
At the moment, I wouldn't say we are stronger, because "stronger" encompasses both attacking and defensive aspects. Maintaining balance is important, and in terms of that balance, we still need to wait and see.
Reporter: Good evening, Dominique, Le Parisien, to your right. Do you think the French team currently has a PSG effect? Aside from Kylian Mbappé's goals, all the other goals have come from PSG players, as did Mbappé's tonight. Kylian is a former PSG player, and Barcola scored against Senegal. Do you think there is a Champions League effect here?
This can only be positive. They have been winning for two years, triumphing in the biggest matches and major competitions.
They come to the French team and bring a winning mentality as well as efficiency. The fact that they can beat the strongest clubs demonstrates their capability. Many of them are attacking players, with dribbling, scoring, and passing ability.
This is certainly a bonus for us. But, again, we must find balance. The further we go, the more balance we will need on the field.
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