Didier Deschamps, the French national team coach, held a press conference ahead of Thursday evening’s friendly match against Brazil (kick-off at 9 p.m.CET). He notably addressed the uncertainty surrounding the positioning of Ousmane Dembélé, the 28-year-old Paris Saint-Germain and Les Bleus forward.
Deschamps: “He has a starting position, but also freedom.”
“Can Ousmane Dembélé continue to play on the right? I watch his matches; he’s in the middle, on the right, deeper… He has a starting position, but also freedom. It’s not about staying fixed in one area. He can play in all attacking positions. I discuss it with him. There is a starting position, but it evolves as the match progresses. It’s interesting,” said Didier Deschamps.
Deschamps’ comments are not without merit, as he reiterates a crucial point: a player isn’t necessarily confined to a single position. The concept of a formation is important for establishing reference points, but it’s also exaggerated in the media and fan debates. There’s movement in football. Of course, you have to find dynamism and balance. We expect Dembélé to be able to move around whether he starts centrally or on the wing. But he needs to coordinate with others.
This is something he’s used to doing in a particularly mobile and fluid PSG. He could also play alongside his Parisian teammate Désiré Doué (a 20-year-old midfielder/forward). And Michael Olise (a 24-year-old forward for Bayern Munich) is also accustomed to frequently rotating positions at club level. Then there’s Kylian Mbappé (a 27-year-old forward for Real Madrid) who might be less adept at adapting to the team. Hopefully, the formula will take shape tonight, in order to build confidence ahead of the World Cup this summer. This is an area that needs work to unlock the full potential of this group.
