In France's 2-1 victory over Brazil yesterday, French national team coach Didier Deschamps deployed Hugo Ekitike as the left winger, Michael Olise as the right winger, and assigned Ousmane Dembélé the task of making active runs in the midfield, being responsible for receiving passes, while also organizing attacks around Kylian Mbappé. This is Deschamps preparing in advance for the attacking combination at the World Cup.
Although Dembélé and Mbappé know each other very well, they have relatively few brilliant matches playing side by side in the French national team.
Since making his debut for the national team in 2016, Dembélé's performances have been inconsistent. This stands in sharp contrast to the strong momentum he has shown at the club level over the past two years. With winning the Champions League and the Ballon d'Or last season, Dembélé currently holds a stable position in the French national team. He and Mbappé have known each other since their teenage years and respect each other, which helps their coordination on the field.
The significance of this high-profile France vs Brazil match lies in the fact that Dembélé was able to obtain the freedom he has in the frontcourt, just like he does at Paris Saint-Germain.
It is reported that in Deschamps' view, Mbappé is a No.9 player. Over the past two years, Mbappé has been playing this role in the national team and has scored goals in abundance. The goal of the French coaching staff is to find the right balance and lineup for the entire team.
For months, Deschamps has been considering how to arrange the starting lineup for this summer's World Cup. The French coaching staff hopes to give full play to the understanding between Mbappé and Dembélé.
The atmosphere in the French team's dressing room is currently harmonious, and Dembélé is highly respected in the dressing room. His teammates sometimes jokingly tease him, saying that as a Ballon d'Or winner like him, he should be one of the leaders of the French national team, yet he himself is still struggling to find a match or tournament with the national team where he can truly stand out.
Dembélé himself is determined to achieve this goal and maintain the excellent form he has shown over the past year and more at Paris Saint-Germain.
