REACTIONS. World Cup 2022 – England-France: “It reminded me of Belgium in 2018” says Olivier Giroud
The France team won 2-1 in the quarter-finals against England and will face Morocco in the semi-finals.
Olivier Giroud, striker of the France team (at the microphone of TF1): “It’s extraordinary. We worked very well defensively when we were leading in the score. It reminded me of Belgium in 2018 (semi-final won 1-0, editor’s note). Unfortunately, we take this penalty. But we knew how to be dangerous on a few chances at the end of the match. You always have to believe in it and ‘Grizi’ puts me a great ball. I’m too proud. Tonight we had a very big game. We knew the potential of this young English generation. They have everything. We have shown a lot of generosity. We have been looking for it in the mind”.
Jules Koundé, defender (at the microphone of BeIn Sport): “It was a crazy match with a lot of twists. That’s all we like and in the end there is victory, it’s even more beautiful. We surely made mistakes but we put so much heart and solidarity. The difference was made in the state of mind. Since the start of the competition, we have underlined how close this group was on and off the pitch. we play against a big team like England, this little extra soul makes the difference.”
Aurélien Tchouaméni, midfielder and scorer for the France team (at the microphone of beIN Sports): “We feel good in this group, we suffered, but it’s the World Cup. We faced a very, very good English team which gave us problems. (The semi-final against Morocco?) It’s going to be a good game, we know the history between these two nations. We’ll have to win the next game and we’ll see what happens next.”
Didier Deschamps, coach of France, qualified for the semi-finals of the World Cup (at the microphone of TF1): “It’s fabulous. It was a big game. We really met a very good England team, because of what they are able to do athletically and technically. We answered. C “It’s wonderful to still be able to reach the last four. We want to suspend time a bit. Tonight, we’re going to enjoy, there’s quality in this team, but there’s also a mentality and a state of We are perhaps a little happy, but we are the ones who give them the ammunition with these two penalties, but it is with hearts and guts that we held this little but in advance. recognition. He may not have been one of the teams we were expecting there, but it’s anything but a surprise when we’ve conceded one but in five games. We’re going to take them very seriously”.
Adrien Rabiot, midfielder of the France team: “We suffered tonight, but we showed that we were united and united. It’s really pride that we feel. We knew it was going to be a very committed match, we were ready, I wouldn’t say that we doubted, but we always knew how to hurt them when necessary. We had to turn our backs. These are incredible moments (…) We feel that there is this enthusiasm, we feel that we are pushed and that there is something to do.”