France continued its march forward in these 2026 World Cup qualifiers with a quiet victory against Azerbaijan (3-0) at the Parc des Princes. Dominant from start to finish, the Blues controlled the ball and imposed their rhythm, with an inspired Kylian Mbappé and an effective attacking trio. But if the attention is often focused on the scorers and the stars of the team, certain less publicized players, like Malo Gusto, have also done well. This Friday evening, the right side of Chelsea confirmed that he was becoming an increasingly solid asset in Didier Deschamps' rotation.
Since his first selection, Malo Gusto has had an irregular journey in Blue. With only five appearances since 2023, he had often gone back and forth in call-ups, oscillating between occasional appearances and simple presences on the bench. But here are now three consecutive meetings where Didier Deschamps calls him back, a sign that his confidence in the young full-back is growing. This Friday evening, for his first start since the Nations League final against Germany, Gusto had a real test to pass. Result: a controlled, rigorous and efficient performance, which allows him to continue to write his name in the coach's plans.
A future indelible name on the list?
Facing the regrouped Azeri Milli komanda, Malo Gusto shone with his technical accuracy and his ability to combine with his partners at the best of times against a low block: “Posing so many problems, I don't know… but we knew they had qualities. We lacked a bit of rhythm in the first half, but we did better afterwards. We knew that we must not relax to avoid getting into difficulty. We fell asleep a little because we had a lot of the ball, and we had to get back into rhythm. The coach told us that we were taking too long to move the ball from one side to the other, and that's why we hadn't managed to score more. We had to come back with better intentions, and that's what we were able to do“, said Gusto in the mixed zone. With 86 balls touched, 67 successful passes out of 73 – or 92%, including 51 in the opposing camp, and 4 ground duels won out of 4, he showed that he could both secure his lane and actively participate in the offensive construction. His two successful dribbles and his good reading of the game made it possible to streamline the circulation of the ball on his side, while limiting unnecessary risk-taking.
Very diligent in his centers and his transmissions, the Bleu des Blues was one of the most constant players in the match. Beyond this match, Malo Gusto's performance underlines a crucial point for the future of the France team. With relatively light competition on the right flank, made up largely of Pierre Kalulu and Jonathan Clauss, and sometimes even a repositioning of Benjamin Pavard to assist Jules Koundé, the former OL player is gradually establishing himself as the ideal joker and reliable replacement: “I don't know if it's up to me to say it but in any case I feel more and more comfortable in the group, I'm trying to get my bearings, to show what I can bring to this selection so I do my best in each match, each time I'm called upon and I hope to stay there», Explained the main person concerned. His constant progress and his ability to combine defensive security and offensive contribution make him an increasingly credible option for Deschamps, who will be able to count on him in future international meetings, in rotation or to help out a starter.
