It’s a special day in many ways for Didier Deschamps, theFrench team and the country that will be behind them: the Blues play their qualification for the World Cup during a France-Ukraine match on November 13. In the big book of the selection, the memories will intertwine. France-Ukraine is obviously a reminder of this grandiose return barrage, in 2013, where Mamadou Sakho appeared out of nowhere to send France to Brazil (3-0). But November 13 is also a flashback in horror, with the memory of these terrible attacks between Paris and Saint-Denis, in the fear of a France-Germany disrupted by the attacks on the Stade de France in 2015.
“ Deep down, if we could have avoided playing on November 13, it would have been good. Was it possible? I don’t have the answers. It’s not up to me.”confided Didier Deschamps at a press conference. “ It is a special day with different commemorations. Honestly, I don’t feel like I have the strength to talk about what happened. Regarding respect for families, who have suffered and who have lost members. The duty of remembrance will be there but there is a football match. There is a football match. »
For once, we will not contradict Deschamps, neither in substance nor in form. In this very special atmosphere, there will be a match to be played on the green rectangle. A great match, if possible. It will be up to the Blues to decide. And it will be at the Parc des Princes, in this magical setting with a unique resonance, where the past of the national team could turn into a liability. A victory and the matter will be completed before a final trip to Azerbaijan on Sunday, at the other end of the continent.
The qualifying matches at the Parc on the eve of an American World Cup, Deschamps knows a lot about them too. The France-Bulgaria of 1993 remains a scar. But we have to put things in perspective and remember the sense of priorities: even with a killer goal from Kostadinov on the gong, it was just a football match. This memory, the former captain turned coach will not bring out. He has many more drawers to open. On the contrary, the key for these Blues will be to live in the present moment so as not to miss out on the event. This evening, we will expect an impeccable and decisive Mbappé. We will be waiting for Cherki and Olise, virtuosos and creatives. We will be waiting for Maignan, Koundé, the amazing Koné and the ghost Kanté. We will wait for an evening of glory, somewhere, and it is only at the end of the ball, if all these beautiful people are smiling, that this very special November 13 will end in lightness.
The expected compositions
France: Maignan – Koundé, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne – Kanté, Koné – Olise, Cherki, Nkunku or Barcola – Mbappé.
Ukraine: Trubin – Konaplya, Zabarnyi, Matviienko, Mykolenko – Tsygankov, Malinovskyi, Yarmoliuk, Voloshyn – Dovbyk, Vanat.
Where to watch the match?
This qualifying match for the 2026 World Cup between the France team and Ukraine will be broadcast this Thursday evening on TF1, from 8:45 p.m. It will also be possible to watch it on the group’s streaming platform, MyTF1.
