Recently revealing a part of him wanted France to lose at the World Cup, Laurent Koscielny’s interview with Canal+ has received a lot of critics over in his home country.
Expected to be in Didier Deschamps’ plans for the competition in Russia, the Arsenal defender unfortunately ruptured his Achilles against Atlético Madrid in the Europa league a few months prior.
Present in Moscow for the final, watching the game alongside Emmanuel Macron, Koscielny put on a brave face, but after a few months, he felt the need to get some stuff off his chest.
While some have slammed what the Gunners’ centre-back has said, others know exactly where he’s coming from, like Florian Maurice, who missed out on being France’s number one striker in 1998 because of an injury.
He told L’Equipe: “You think I was dreaming of France being world champions when I was there? It’s so frustrating. When you win the World Cup, your life changes so much. You can’t get rid of that deception. You think I have? Six months before, you in the team, six months later you aren’t. It’s a real earthquake.
“Laurent had a human reaction, because his world crumbled around him. Everyone thinks like that. It would be dishonest to say the contrary. Those who criticise him don’t understand his frustration”.
Others, like Pierre Laigle, who also missed out the 1998 squad, but only because Aimé Jacquet went for someone else, feel he probably should have kept that thought to himself, even if it is understandable to have it.
He said: “His reaction is normal, but did he have to open his heart like that. It surprised me a little. You can think it, but you mustn’t say it.”.
Koscielny is expected to return to Arsenal before the end of the year, and it will be interesting to see how much game time he gets, as Unai Emery’s side are currently on a decent run of form, winning their last nine games, during which they concede eight goals, but scored 27.
