Find out what the reigning world champions had to say about the defeat that occurred in Denmark on Sunday evening (0-2).
Antoine Griezmann (striker for the France team beaten 2-0 in Denmark):
“I believe that the first thirty minutes were a success for us. After that, we were faced with significant issues on the corners, which we were unable to fix. We continue to work toward this damaging aim. They made their way toward us. We lacked the self-assurance to mount a comeback after falling behind. We weren’t efficient. We are not going to suggest that it is because of the changes that the coach wants to see the players because he wants to see them. It makes no difference who you use; what matters is your mindset going into each combat to ensure victory. To begin, we had some difficulty breaking the ice. It’s a nice thing to have going into the World Cup. Are you worried? No way. Because both the team and the coach have very high expectations for us, it is up to each member of the team to put in the effort necessary to prepare for the World Cup. We are aware that if you compete in Europe, the stakes are raised to a high level of difficulty regardless of who you face. It is up to us to put forth the effort necessary to prepare for the World Cup.
Check out also The notes of the blues in Denmark: Camavinga was shipwrecked, and Upamecano drinks (still) the cup.
Olivier Giroud (striker for the France team, after the 2-0 defeat in Copenhagen) :
“We got off to a good start and played well for the first 20–30 minutes. After that, we were at a loss on how to make it happen… Even if our chances weren’t all that great. We take two goals that can be avoided. Football is full of mistakes, but it’s frustrating because we still have opportunities right up until the finish of the game. Even though we were not in perfect health, we still could have been able to bring something back. Chart of accounts? You don’t need to make the picture darker at all. Thursday was another day in which we maintained our positive score (v Austria, 2-0 win). We were aware that the Danes would be waiting for us so that they could rush into us. During the duels, they replied with a higher level of presence than we did. Many of our duels ended in defeat. For instance, in the corners, the same guy is left alone three or four times to negotiate reductions or complete the action… At this level, we are going to need a little bit more caution, and we are going to have to have to accept the fact that even if we play a terrific game three days before, football is a perpetual restart, and it is vital to be violent. Some things shouldn’t be thrown out, but it’s a damn shame that they ended up like this…
Cup of the World? I don’t make plans that far in advance. My upcoming matches with AC Milan are going to be incredibly crucial, and we are scheduled to play once every three days. In any event, I am content with how the first game with the Blues turned out. On this particular Sunday, being with the boys was a challenge due to… We are aware that there is still work for us to do. Tonight, it is unavoidable that we will feel disappointed: we were not as excellent as the Danes, and we did not know how to compete with them. We need to take this as a lesson, but we must also remain optimistic.
Aurélien Tchouaméni (middle of France): “It was important for us to get off to a strong start in the contest. It was visible to you. After that, we pushed around, and we ended up giving up two goals, which was the straw that broke the camel’s back. We have to make an effort to perform better. We just weren’t good. There is no room for an explanation. It is up to everyone at their club to keep their attention on what they need to do in the coming weeks, and then we will see the list for the World Cup. I don’t believe that there is a lack of confidence among us. Everything was lovely, and everything was looking up. Just twenty-four hours before, we had recently prevailed against Austria in a team competition. Today, without a doubt, we did not perform very well. We each need to take responsibility for our actions as well as those of the group to find a solution to the problem. What exactly is this anomaly? To tell you the truth, I’m still not sure how to explain it. There is no room for an explanation. Since we are not yet capable of following up, we will inevitably need to perform more admirably during the World Cup. Worrying? Not in my opinion at all. We all have a healthy amount of respect for the League of Nations, but I’m confident that the game we play against Denmark in the World Cup will be very different. There will be further criteria to take into consideration, and we will perform the accounting after the fact.