After the 1998 world champion Christophe Dugarry – a consultant with keen analyzes – for Euro 2024, M6 dreamed of offering the services of a 2018 world champion – necessarily inexperienced and very probably less incisive than “Duga” – for its 54 posters distributed free of charge for the 2026 World Cup (out of the 104 matches of the tournament, all broadcast by beIN Sports). Hugo Lloris, Raphaël Varane, Olivier Giroud and even Antoine Griezmann have been approached. In vain.
Captain Lloris participated in the World Cup draw on December 5 on the TNT channel. As for Giroud, he flatly stated, in mid-March on RMC, that he was perhaps going to comment on matches in the group phase (before starting his pre-season at Losc or at his next club). It’s definitive, the top scorer in the history of the Blues (ahead of Kylian MbappĂ©) is not part of the M6 ​​cast.
It is therefore Samuel Umtiti, another 2018 world champion, who will bring France’s matches to life on M6, with Xavier Domergue and BenoĂ®t Cheyrou on commentary and Virginie Sainsily on field side. “I had this little childhood dream, it will shock some people, to live it like that as a consultant to share what we are going to experience. For me, it’s truly a dream come true.”said the former defender during an M6 press conference on Wednesday in Paris.
Michou in the absence of Giroud
Umtiti will also form the second duo with commentator Julien Brun, while François Clerc, the former right back of OL and Saint-Etienne, French international from 2006 to 2008 (13 caps, in the group at Euro 2008), will accompany Hamza Rahmani for other meetings broadcast by the 6 live from North America.
In the United States (where the French team will play exclusively if it finishes first or second in its group), Michou will be one of M6’s correspondents for the channel’s social networks. Content creators have a special place offered by Fifa, namely behind the goals, and the videographer will bring the meetings to life with his feelings. Ludovic Giuly is hired for the channel’s daily magazine, presented by OphĂ©lie Meunier, with SmaĂŻl Bouabdellah and Johan Djourou on set.
