Zorro can hide another one. Randal Kolo Muani delivered the Blues this Monday July 1 at the end of a round of 16 of the Euro against Belgium which they dominated in the game (1-0), not necessarily in the number of occasions, and of which we wondered if they would one day adorn it with a goal, their summer football look. The Blues play football but without a goal, a baroque concept which makes their meetings unbreathable.
When there is finally a goal, we know almost with certainty that it will be the only one. We must therefore cherish its author, pamper him, give him the best sheets in the hope that he will do it again next time. Give the PSG striker the best suite in the national team hotel, he has fully deserved it.
It is possible that on the beaches this summer, the Blues play football and continue not to score. Struck by the curse of the team unable to score a goal, they passed one behind the other only to miss their turn. France-Belgium was a festival of missed opportunities, shots to the side, above, sometimes on target but finding Koen Casteels on the way.
To despair, to take a sniff of seum in the face, finally left to the Belgians, with a new dose for at least two years, until the 2026 World Cup. Or how to be dominant, stronger collectively but totally powerless offensively. A sterile team exposes itself to the opposing goal, to the small error that costs dearly and cannot aim very far or very high in a European Championship.
Jules Koundé, at a level rarely reached in the selection
The strengths of the French team remain unchanged as the competition progresses with a very great goalkeeper – impeccable on a free kick from Kevin De Bruyne (24th), a powerful strike from the same (83rd) or an attempt from Romelu Lukaku firmly repelled (71st) –, a hinge of strong guys and complete full-backs, like this fantastic comeback from Théo Hernandez on Yannick Carrasco (61st) in a shooting position. The midfielders plug, create, propose, make themselves available like N’Golo Kanté, with a reading of the game always above average. But after that, there is nothing or very little.
Jules Koundé’s crosses, at a level rarely reached in selection, found no one due to lack of presence in the area or Marcus Thuram for headers without flame (18th, 34th). The Inter player will be replaced at the hour mark by Randal Kolo Muani, more concerned and more combative, like the rest of the team as a whole. And above all, now able to chase away the image of the 2022 World Cup and his golden opportunity in front of Emiliano Martinez with a positive memory, a goal that sends them to the quarter-finals of a Euro.
Didier Deschamps’ Blues suffer from the lack of a great Kylian Mbappé, very imprecise in front of Belgium and who is in the game’s worst season. He broke his nose to make things worse. They also suffer from the absence of another attacker who creates differences, who weighs, who has influence on the opposing defenders to offer space to others. It is therefore not Marcus Thuram, more really Antoine Griezmann, used in several positions in this Euro but very not dangerous and too often not involved enough in construction, his strong point.
Olivier Giroud no longer seems to really count in this group or this tournament, the end clap announced before the competition obliges. Winning a match requires constant suffering from everyone, crazy mental mobilization, increased defensive energy. Winning a Euro in these conditions would be an impossible feat. It is still possible. And now Randal Kolo Muani is applying to build this blue dream.
