Without forcing. France won over Morocco (2-0) yesterday in the quarter-final of the World Cup and reached the last four for the 3rd consecutive time. It is only the third nation to achieve such a feat after Brazil and Germany. It was less complicated than expected yesterday against the frankly harmless Atlas Lions. If Kylian Mbappé, a goal and an assist, once again burst the screen, another element largely stood out, it was Manu Koné. The midfielder was even man of the match by the FM editorial team with a 7.5.
“ Physically dominant, he disgusted Bouaddi and El Aynaoui, appearing at the right time, launching the pressures, making a lot of impact », we wrote. Despite the threat of a suspension for the semi-finals in the event of a yellow card, the Roma player never trembled, like this big comeback in the 12th minute. He even offered a managerial performance in place of Aurélien Tchouameni, who was withdrawn and injured in his adductor muscles before the round of 16 against Paraguay. The vice-captain of the Blues is doing better, he has trained again in recent days.
Koné’s credit increases in the eyes of the staff
Therefore, a question arises. Can Koné be the starter alongside Adrien Rabiot for the rest and the end of this World Cup? The dynamic speaks for itself when its direct competitor recovers from a physical problem. He is in great shape and makes a big kill in the midfield. He is also capable of projecting himself, of attempting risky passes like this 60-meter cross for Doué, of projecting himself, until his replacement, hit in the knee, by Warren Zaire-Emery, author of convincing first minutes in this World Cup.
“ In addition to the result, there are players who had not played a minute like Warren (Zaire Emery), who makes a thunderous entrance. I have players who play, others who play little or not, it’s a human adventure », Said Didier Deschamps at a press conference yesterday after the victory. The former Toulouse player had already shown all his qualities against Paraguay. His rating continues to skyrocket, in the transfer window, he who is also being courted by Inter and Atlético de Madrid (a departure for around €45 million is envisaged), but especially in the eyes of the technical staff. He already gave her a lot of credit. It’s one more option for the coach and a pleasant headache.
