At 33, Alexandre Lacazette is no longer under any illusions. He has no chance of returning to the French team, he who has not been called up by Didier Deschamps since November 2017 and a double against Germany in a friendly match. For a record of 16 selections and three goals scored. The “General” of OL has drawn a line under his international career. He left no room for doubt during the football tournament of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, it was his last hurrah in the French team.
“I don’t know if that’s the most important thing. (match of his career, editor’s note)but it’s the most beautiful match emotionally speaking, because it’s the last one with the blue jersey”launched the captain of Thierry Henry’s Blues, after the final lost against Spain (3-5, after extra time), Friday evening at the Parc des Princes. A moving statement from the Olympique Lyonnais player, who unleashed insulting comments against “La Dèche”, notably from the fans of the Gones.
Deschamps preferred Ben Yedder and Thuram
Lacazette has been one of the most prolific French centre-forwards in recent years. But the player had not convinced Deschamps, particularly in his behaviour (more than 7 years ago), and was shelved. His seasons with Arsenal (good but not excellent) did not allow him to return to the France squad for the 2018 World Cup, the Euro in 2021, the 2022 World Cup or the Euro 2024. Anthony Martial, Wissam Ben Yedder, Marcus Thuram or Randal Kolo Muani were Olivier Giroud’s understudies for the number 9 position.
On the other hand, Alexandre Lacazette’s presence at the Euro in Germany was not essential. The thirty-year-old has piled up the goals with OL (31 in 2022-2023, 22 in 2023-2024), but without managing to lead his team to the podium of Ligue 1. Thierry Henry thus called up the former Arsenal Gunner to be one of the three players over 23 years old for the Olympic football tournament. And “Laca”, if he unblocked the situation during the first match against the United States, was ghostly at the forefront of the attack…
