World Soccer - UK (2020-11)

BIOGRAPHY

for his Atlantic crossing. The midfielder

is more than just a key player in France’s

plans for next summer’s Euros – he

boasts all the traits Deschamps admires

in a player: a disciplined warrior with

boundless enthusiasm, mobility,

consistency and positive influence

in the dressing room. Matuidi has

never disappointed Deschamps.

Ever since Deschamps took over as

thebossofLes Bleusin the summer of

2012, Matuidi has invariably been slap

bang at the heart of his plans. In all that

time, Deschamps’ faith in him has rarely

wavered. The French coach omitted him

from the starting line-up of France’s

World Cup 2018 opener against

Australia, but soon would regret his

choice. In an unconvincing 2-1 win over

the Socceroos, Matuidi’s replacement,

Corentin Tolisso of Bayern Munich, was

arguably the worst player on the pitch.

A rethink was urgently required.

For France’s next group game versus

Peru, Deschamps tore up the script. The

4-3-3 template was scrapped in favour

of a 4-2-3-1 and in a surprising move,

Matuidi was selected as a left-sided

midfielder. Normally deployed in

national team colours as a box-to-box

dynamo or ball-winning enforcer,

Matuidi’s selection initially sparked no

end of controversy. The consensus of

opinion in pundit circles and on social

media was that he was stealing the spot

of a genuine ball-playing winger.

In fact, it turned out to be a

masterstroke. Matuidi embedded

himself in the team for the knockout

stages, giving France an altogether

more balanced look. Clearly not as

spectacular or audacious as romantics

would have liked, but a godsend in

terms of muscular impact and

substance. Matuidi was the living,

breathing embodiment of the

Deschamps philosophy. Fiercely

competitive, powerful, hard-running

and always ready to intelligently tuck

in, allowing the likes of Griezmann

and Mbappe to shine.

“He (Matuidi) brings much equilibrium

to the team,” explained Deschamps. “He

is very effective, and plays with oomph.

He covers a lot of ground, is an intense

competitor and runs all day. He does

his job at a very high level. He’s an

important part of our defensive solidity.

All great teams have this and that’s our

strength.”

His massive contribution to France’s

second world title effectively silenced

Legion of Honour...the

French players were

honoured for their

World Cup victory

Winner...Matuidi

gets his hands on the

World Cup trophy