Mental strength paid off for France, says Deschamps

Karim Benzema has responded to Didier Deschamps' claim that the striker told him "he wouldn't have been ready" to play at the World Cup because of an injury by implying the France coach was a "liar".

The Real Madrid forward pulled out of the France squad with an injured left thigh on the eve of the tournament and departed their team hotel in Qatar soon afterwards.

Benzema returned to training with his club on December 10, four days before France played Morocco in the World Cup semi-finals.

"Karim told me himself that he wouldn't have been ready," Deschamps told the Parisien newspaper in an interview published on Saturday.

"When Karim got injured, our doctor accompanied him to the Aspetar clinic to undergo an MRI," said Deschamps.

"Karim passed on the results to someone who follows him in Madrid and who also gave him an opinion. When he came back to the hotel, it was already gone midnight.

"I met Karim in his room with our doctor who had come to give me the report from the scan... Karim was hurt because this World Cup meant a lot to him. He told me, 'It's over.'

"We stayed together for about 20 minutes," added Deschamps.

"When leaving I told him, 'Karim, there's no rush. Organise your return with the team manager.' When I woke up I found out he was gone. It's his decision, he won't tell you otherwise, I understand and respect it."

Benzema, who announced his international retirement the day after France lost the World Cup final on penalties to Argentina, appeared to dispute Deschamps' version of events on social media.

The Ballon d'Or winner posted on Instagram a screenshot of Deschamps' remarks accompanied by the phrase "but what audacity" and a clown emoji.

He also shared the video of a popular French influencer, who repeats the words "liar, you are a liar", while again addressing Deschamps.

Benzema's hasty departure from Qatar had fuelled speculation of a rift between him and the rest of the squad as well as Deschamps.

The injury was just the latest chapter in Benzema's complicated and turbulent history with Les Bleus, which saw him frozen out of the team for five and a half years because of his involvement in a blackmail scandal over a sextape involving his former teammate Mathieu Valbuena.

He also had numerous run-ins with Deschamps over the years with the player, who is of Algerian descent, at one stage hinting the France coach was being "racist" in keeping him out.

Croatian President Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic has won many admirers for own performance at the World Cup final in Moscow, where she stood in driving rain at the closing ceremony, smiled and hugged every player from both teams.

Croatia lost to France 4-2 in a thrilling final on Sunday.

Grabar Kitarovic, clad in a red-and white Croatia soccer shirt, stood on the podium with Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron when the medals were given to the players.

While Putin was handed an umbrella, she stood soaked but smiling in the heavy rain, clearly delighted by Croatia's brave showing. Aides eventually found her an umbrella.

"Best scene at the World Cup. Pouring Rain, no umbrella and Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic hugs every single player from Croatia and France, even if Croatia has just lost. That's pure emotional and so warmly. No politics, only sport! Congrats to both teams!," a comment on social media said.

Another one pointed out her graceful demeanour despite Croatia losing the final.

"A heart broken Croatia President looks graceful in defeat hugging every player!," it said.

"She made the fans more emotional," another comment added.

Grabar Kitarovic displayed great passion throughout the tournament, following the team in all the games after the group stage but missing the semi-final against England due to the NATO summit in Brussels.

"The Croatian president is coming out of this as the winner. Football shirt, rain, crying, hair ruined, doesn’t give a damn," was another one among many comments.

Some also saw a display of a great sporting spirit as she hugged players from both teams: "Loved your gesture and sporting spirit during World Cup final game. You are the true epitome of sportsman spirit. Way to Go!"

Later on Monday, the Croatian capital Zagreb will stage a welcome celebration for the soccer team, which achieved the greatest success in the history of Croatian football, surpassing their performance 20 years ago when Croatia won the third place at the World Cup in France.

France coach Didier Deschamps on Monday welcomed the news that there was light at the end of the tunnel for midfielder Paul Pogba after a doping ban.

On Friday, French international Pogba learned that his four-year ban for doping had been reduced to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

"There is this light that turns on again," said Deschamps on the French Football Federation (FFF) website.

"He will have stages to go through but it is excellent news. He will be able to play again from March."

The 91-times capped World Cup winner tested positive for testosterone in August 2023 after a match between Juventus and Udinese in Italy.

Pogba blamed a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the United States for the positive test.

He was provisionally suspended in September of the same year, and then banned for four years by the Italian National Anti-Doping Tribunal the following February.

The 31-year-old can now hope to return to the French team in 2025.

"I spoke to him for quite a long time on the phone as this whole period has been very complicated for him," said Deschamps, also referring to "the injuries, plus the private problems he had (a case of blackmail against him notably involving one of his brothers), plus this suspension".

"It still remains a sanction which is heavy, less heavy," added Deschamps, but Pogba "knows that in March 2025, he will become a player again and as he loves football and playing so much, it is excellent news for him".

France coach Didier Deschamps admits he is 'happy to go back to Italy' for the Nations League after his experience at Juventus.

The Azzurri were placed in the toughest group of the draw, as they will face France, Belgium and Israel from September 2024.

"All the League A teams are strong, so there were bound to be four high-quality groups," said Deschamps at the ceremony in Paris.

"Personally, I am happy to go back to Italy to face the Azzurri. These are going to be high-level games for all involved."

Deschamps spent much of his career in the Peninsula with Juventus, first as a midfielder from 1994 to 1999, then as a coach in the 2006-07 season in Serie B.

"It is a tough group, but it will be tough for everyone. This competition also comes after the European Championship in Germany and until then all the coaches will be focused on preparing for that.

"A new tournament begins in September and there is always the ambition to go all the way."

Croatia face France in Moscow on Sunday attempting to win their first World Cup while Didier Deschamps' side are aiming to land their second title two decades on from their triumph on home soil.

France, who are clear favourites to triumph in the Luzhniki Stadium, will also be spurred on by the bitter disappointment of losing the Euro 2016 final to Portugal in Paris.

It is a final few people anticipated when football's global showpiece kicked off four weeks ago.

Croatia have brought joy to their Balkan nation of just four million people by defying the odds to progress to the final while reigning champions Germany, then Argentina and Brazil all fell by the wayside in Russia.

They have been inspired by mercurial midfielder Luka Modric while coach Zlatko Dalic, who only took over last year with the squad in chaos, has coaxed remarkable performances from his team.

Deschamps would become only the third man to win the World Cup as both a player and a manager -- he was captain when France lifted the World Cup in 1998.

His France side, spearheaded by 19-year-old forward Kylian Mbappe and the more seasoned Antoine Griezmann, are the favourites.

Paul Pogba has finally become a leader in midfield for France and N'Golo Kante has excelled in doing the tireless work that allows his teammates to shine, while Samuel Umtiti and Raphael Varane are the nucleus of a solid defence.

Les Bleus laboured through their group, beating Australia and Peru by the odd goal and drawing with Denmark in the only goalless game of the tournament.

Then they hit form, sweeping aside Argentina in a match which announced to the world that Mbappe is set to be an international superstar as he scored twice and outshone Lionel Messi.

But apart from that 4-3 win, France have played like a Deschamps side, with the emphasis on defence.