Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines (France) (AFP)

The Blues were still "in a corner of (his) head": the goalkeeper of the French team Steve Mandanda doubted, but did not think "at any time" stop his international career during last season, complicated on the performance plan, he assured Tuesday.

"It did not even happen in my mind," said the Marseille player in a press conference, two days of France-Moldova, qualifying match for Euro-2020.

Q: Arriving as N.1 on this rally with Hugo Lloris's wound, what does it change?

A: "It does not change much because I've been here for years, I'm doing this, I'm sure I'm going to the next matches, but in my mind, it's always the same thing. You have to be efficient, at the service of the collective and that the team wins (...) I am the oldest I think It's been a lot of years that I'm in this group Between the convocations and the selections is true that there is a lot of difference (since May 2008, 134 presences on the score sheet in Blue, 30 selections, Ed), but that's my role, I know I'm N.2, I try to answer this when I'm called in, and I see it very well I do not have any more pressure (as a holder) because I have more experience and years here. even less pressure because even if Hugo (Lloris) is not there, it's our captain, our N.1, and no matter what performance I can do, we all know he will find his place. "

Q: During your tough season last year, did you think your international career was behind you? Did the critics make you doubt?

A: "At no time have I thought about stopping the France team, it's a pleasure, an honor to wear this jersey, to be part of this group. performance is good to have in the corner of my head the meeting.I did not even pass in my mind to stop the selection. (...) Being high-level athlete, it is to be a Above all, there are complicated passages, you have to be mentally strong, you have to question yourself daily, and that's what allows me to be here today, if I doubted. I always had in my head this objective to come back, to give me all the means to be summoned Critics, today it's part of the game, you have to know how to accept them as we accept the praise, it's like it."

Q: If you qualify for the Euro, with what additional assets will you get compared to the World Cup?

A: "With more experience, we lost a home final at home, we learned from this defeat, it allowed us to win this World Cup, if we are, we would come with a status, we would be very expected but the stored experience can bring us on this Euro (...) Before talking about it, we must qualify, there is an important match (against Moldova on Thursday, Ed). has seen in the past, a qualification is never acquired.If we are still not qualified, it is that opponents in front are motivated, want to play the blows thoroughly to be able to participate in this competition. They want to beat this reigning world champion team. "

Interviewed at a press conference

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