Yesterday, the French team won 4-0 against Ukraine and validated their ticket for the 2026 World Cup. Starting at kick-off, Rayan Cherki produced an average performance (our editorial team gave him a score of 6/10) before being replaced in the 68th minute by Maghnes Akliouche. A performance which, however, did not at all delight Jérôme Rothen. At the microphone of RMC Sportthe former midfielder gave a huge rant against the attitude of the Manchester City player. And he didn’t mince his words.
“It’s a huge chance to start in an important match with the France team. (…) All the players who play with him are unanimous in saying that he has a lot of talent. (…) I watched all of City’s matches. I was unanimous yesterday before the match (to praise him) in saying that all superfluous gestures, he put them aside. I find that the marriage is perfect with City and Guardiola. Yesterday, he allowed himself to repeat all these superfluous gestures because he is wearing the French team jersey… Why? Because you don’t respect the France jersey enough unlike City? I hope not. I have doubts about yesterday’s state of mind, about the efforts he is making and about all these gestures which are disgusting. The scarf trick at the third selection… When you have missed so many things at the start of the match, when you have slowed down the entire game of the France team, you come and do a scarf trick and you lose control and it goes unnoticed, no one says anything to him. (…) I won’t even talk about the technical performance of his match which was abominable. I’m just talking about the state of mind. You have to be impeccable, especially when you are 22 and this is your third selection. If at the end of the third selection, this is not the case and he is making fun of the world, because he played yesterday to amuse the gallery, what will that look like in 40 selections? If no one can tell him, I’ll say it loud and clear. He has the right to be wrong. He blew a joker. When I see Akliouch and Ekitike come in, suddenly, the game becomes clearer. » The message has gotten through.
