Sunday March 23, 2025, 11:38 p.m. Dayot Upamecano sent the French team in the Final Four of the League of Nations after a reversing scenario against Croatia (0-2; 2-0, 5-4 at TAB). At this moment, the defender of Bayern Munich then headed for the evening hero: Mike Maignan. And for good reason. Less efficient lately and criticized for its mixed performances in the AC Milan jersey since the start of the season, the former LOSC last bulwark recalled what an excellent goalkeeper he is facing the Vatreni. Never worried for 120 minutes, the native of Cayenne finally released the big game by pushing, on his left, the attempts by Martin Baturina and Josip Stasinic. Before that, the imposing 29 -year -old porter had also pushed the unfortunate Franjo Ivanovic to the fault, guilty of an unpacked strike. Evening hero, the French international (28 selections) became the first in the history of the Blues to win two consecutive penalties.
Historical performance
As a reminder, last summer in Germany, France had indeed already released Portugal in the quarterfinals of the Euro on penalties (5-3). A new masterclass logically chasing the ghosts of Doha 2022 and confirming, in passing, that the right -hander of 1m91 was a real specialist in the matter. “After our two goals, we wanted to push to mark the third. We did not succeed, so there was an extension and then the shots on goal. But we know that when we go to the session, we have a goalkeeper who makes the difference in this exercise. So we leave with this advantage, it gives confidence ”also confided Kylian Mbappé at the microphone of TF1. Credited with an 8.5 by FM editorial staff, Magic Mike was, moreover, praised by his teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni. “It is one of the best guards in the world, it's a plus for us on penalties. He gives off something that makes it even more difficult for the shooter ”noted the Madrid midfielder in the mixed zone.
At the same time, Didier Deschamps, present at a press conference, also rented the qualities of his goalkeeper, once again decisive. “On the one hand, the players of the French team know very well that Mike is very efficient. And on the other, he has this ability to weigh in the duel against the opposing shooter. It is a balance of power. He has this quality there. It is a technical gesture. And then there is the influence of the goalkeeper. Opposite, they know that it is Mike with the goal and that he is efficient. We owe him qualification “recognized the coach of the Blues before adding: “Our shooters also pulled a little better than the Croats. It would have been annoying to miss the qualification on this session because we had a lot of opportunities before to make a greater gap ”. Already decisive in Split with a postponed penalty, Maignan finally gave the feeling of having a mental grip on the Croatian shooters. A visual impression that the principal concerned has also detailed at the microphone of the diffuser.
Maignan reveals his secret for shots to the goal
“It is a psychological duel. We arrive at the end of a match where the players ran a lot, the lucidity is not too there. It is important to take up a lot of space in order and to try to dominate. The shooters have a big goal. We have to take all the tools we have ”entrusted the ex-PSG party before returning to his decisive judgment in Croatia: “In the first leg, I had lasers (on a penalty arrested in the 5th minute, editor's note), partners entered the area, it annoyed him (the Croatian shooter, editor's note). It is in the head, in the eyes, a duel un-confer. It is an exercise where I have a lot of success. I hope it will last “. Relaunched on the overall performance of his family, Maignan did not fail to savor the qualification for the Final Four where the Blues – who have now won half of their fire sessions – will find Spain, reigning European champion.
“We knew it was a revengeful match, they dominated us at home by doing what they wanted. It stung our pride. We knew we had to be concentrated from start to finish, that it could go to penalties. I knew I had to be ready. We were confident. We remained positive, very united. We knew that we had to give the maximum, shoot in the same direction. We played with us, with all the people, it was even simpler despite the quality of the opponent. We were more aggressive, more focused. As I said, we need to be bitten to have reactions like that. In a career, it's good to have these moments, it reminds us that you have to work, not take the opponents lightly ”. One thing is certain, with a Mike Maignan at this level, the French team can hope for beautiful things, next June, facing Roja but especially in 2026, the year of the World Cup, organized in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
