Lucas Hernandez, 29-year-old defender with Paris Saint-Germain and the French national team, took advantage of an interview with L’Equipe to pass on a touching message to Benjamin Pavard, his counterpart of the same age with Inter Milan and Les Bleus.
“I had Benjamin Pavard on the phone this morning (yesterday) and I’d like to say a few words about him. He’s my best friend in soccer. I know what he did to come back from his ankle injury and play in this final. I can imagine the pain of losing a final, but I want to take my hat off to him, because I’m proud of what he did. It’s important for me to say it. I can’t wait to see him back in the French team.”
It’s nice to see such talk, with links in soccer and a certain respect that comes through despite the matches. Nice thoughts to keep in mind, when some people sometimes take rivalry too far. It’s possible to clash on the pitch without forgetting great values.
Pavard obviously had a less pleasant evening on Saturday, and that can be difficult to digest after giving his all to come back. But he can count on a lot of support.
