Hours before the FIFA World Cup kicks off in the United States, Theo, the French national team's left-back currently playing for Al Hilal, was interviewed by AS at the French team's training base in Clairefontaine.
Do you feel like you're entering this FIFA World Cup in the best form of your career? After all, your stats this season have been excellent.
Yes, I think so. But I also want to say that the 2022 FIFA World Cup year was also very good for me personally. I think I've performed well in Saudi Arabia this year too. I'm in good physical condition now, and I hope this will be a great FIFA World Cup for me and the entire team.
Do you think the French team is a favorite to win the FIFA World Cup?
Everyone says we are favorites to win the FIFA World Cup. But honestly, winning the FIFA World Cup is not easy at all. Many national teams are very strong now. We have to take it step by step. Our first match is against Senegal, and for us, that's the most important game, so we must focus on the present and move forward step by step.
Do you think Spain, like France, is also a big favorite in this FIFA World Cup? You recently played against them.
Of course. Spain is a favorite, and so are we. I think Germany also counts, as do some other strong teams. Many national teams are very strong now, which is why I say that even if some teams don't seem like they'll cause you much trouble, they can still put you in a difficult situation. As I just said, we have to take it step by step and just focus on ourselves. Indeed, we are a very good team. In my opinion, we are the best national team, but we still have to go step by step.
Whenever a player joins a Saudi team, people always say their level will decline. When you signed with Al Hilal, were you concerned that your importance to the French team would be affected?
No, I wasn't worried. Indeed, many people think that if you go to play in Saudi Arabia, your level will definitely decline. But if you look closely at the players in the Saudi League, you'll find that this is not the case. You could even say that the league is still growing. Before, you might have thought the level was lower there, but now all the teams are strengthening.
Looking at the roster of each team, I think the overall level of the league has improved a lot. I don't think my level will decline. For example, Cancelo, after leaving Saudi Arabia, also played for Barcelona; and Kante, he also plays in Saudi Arabia and has regained a very high competitive standard. I think I'm still young, and there's absolutely a chance to return to play in Europe in the future.
Did you talk to Deschamps before going to Saudi Arabia? If so, what did he say then?
Of course we talked. I spoke with him and wanted to hear his thoughts on me going to play in Saudi Arabia. He gave me his trust, and when you have the trust of the head coach, making such a decision becomes much easier.
This will be Deschamps' last official competition as coach of the French team. I wonder if the rumors about Zidane potentially taking over have reached the locker room. Zidane coached you at Real Madrid.
Deschamps will leave after the FIFA World Cup. I have been playing under him since 2021. He is a great coach and a very good person, and I have a very good relationship with him. As for Zidane, I worked with him at Real Madrid. I think he is also a great coach and a very good person. After the FIFA World Cup, we will see what happens.
How would you assess the gap in level between the Saudi League and European leagues? Many people rarely watch games there but still talk about the league's level.
For me, this is by no means an easy league, but a very competitive one. As I said before, there are many strong players there. For any player, no team is easy to deal with. We, Al Hilal, are the best team in Asia, and all teams want to beat us, so games are never easy.
Was there a possibility of signing with Atletico last year? There were many rumors linking you to Atletico at the time.
Yes, there was indeed that possibility at the time. There were many offers, and several teams wanted to sign me, and going to Atletico was indeed one of the options. But as I said, I ultimately chose Al Hilal because I wanted a big change in my career, especially on a competitive level. I'm happy to have signed with them. My family and children are living well there, so I feel good myself.
Is adapting to the culture there completely different compared to Europe? Do you miss some things you had in Europe that you don't have there?
Everything is different, the cultural differences are huge. But I feel I've adapted very well. I've had a great season, with ups and downs of course, because a player can't always be at 100%. But honestly, I'm very happy and satisfied there. As I said, my wife is doing well there, and the children are happy, which is very important to me. So I'm very content now. I have two years left on my contract, and I hope to stay longer after that.
You're coming to the FIFA World Cup with 9 goals and 8 assists this season. Do you see yourself more as an attacking player than a pure full-back? In modern football, full-backs are becoming more and more like forwards.
To be honest, I've always preferred attacking over defending, and I've said that many times. Of course, in the national team, you need to focus more on defense because we have such a group of forwards that you don't need to take on too many attacking tasks. Indeed, I've scored many goals and provided quite a few assists this season, and I hope to do more later.
You operate on the same side as Mbappe. How do you coordinate with him on the field? What do you think of his role as captain?
Kylian and I have a great relationship, and we're also friends off the field. On the field, we all know what kind of player he is. He's an incredible player and a very good captain. He also knows that we will always support him.
You used to play for Real Madrid. Do you talk to Mbappe about what Real Madrid means? For example, the pressure there. Or do you not talk about these things during national team training?
We haven't specifically talked about these things, I just told him that Real Madrid is the best club in the world. And I always watch his games. I also follow Real Madrid in Saudi Arabia because my friend Brahim is still there. Honestly, I think Mbappe is in very good form right now. He is a very good player, a captain, and a leader. We will always fight alongside him.
Your brother Lucas just won the Champions League. You must have watched the Paris Saint-Germain Champions League final. What is it like to be in the same locker room as your brother? Does your relationship change on the field?
There are no problems between my brother and me. We are friends and brothers, and we get along very well. I'm happy to be with him in the national team again. I hope we can go as far as possible in the FIFA World Cup together.
This year Majadahonda was promoted to the Primera Federación. That was your first team in Madrid. Although you left a long time ago, do you still follow their results?
Indeed, because of the distance, I can't often follow Majadahonda's results. But I do watch some games and also follow Alaves, because I played there too. I'm happy to see them promoted and happy to see them achieve such results.
Last question. If France wins the FIFA World Cup, have you thought about how you would celebrate in a crazy way?
No, I haven't thought about it yet, and I don't have any specific plans. If we really win the FIFA World Cup, then we'll see how I celebrate. But I'll definitely do something (laughs).