The Sang et Or had a funny evening at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium, the usual lair of LOSC, the regional rival, where the boos of part of the local public were counterbalanced by strong support among the 48,000 spectators.

In the 88th minute, his replacement was followed by thunderous applause, a final in apotheosis.

"I find it regrettable, to put it mildly, what happened in the first half", but he was able to silence "those who demonstrated stupidly with whistles" and "it's his merit", said greeted Didier Deschamps in the post-match conference.

The defender born in Strasbourg will remember in any case for a long time this friendly disputed against the 68th nation in the world, started with a vibrant Marseillaise between the experienced Adrien Rabiot and the neophyte William Saliba, 21, another Blue aligned for the first time as holder .

French defenders Jonathan Clauss and William Saliba, holders for the first time in their career, listen to the national anthems before the friendly match against South Africa, March 29, 2022 at the Pierre-Mauroy Stadium in Villeneuve-d'Ascq FRANCK FIFE POOL/AFP

Clauss' journey, as beautiful as it is tortuous, made the image even more striking.

The player indeed took longer than the others to get out of the amateur world, passing through Raon-L'Etape or Avranches, before breaking through to the highest level as he approached his thirties.

He only knew the elite when he arrived in Lens, in the summer of 2020, after stints in Quevilly-Rouen (L2) and Bielefeld (German D2).

Since his arrival at Clairefontaine eight days ago, Clauss has been living a waking dream alongside Kylian Mbappé, Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann, whom he used to see on TV and not in real life.

"Less nervous and stressed"

After a week of integration, "I'm much more liberated, much less nervous and less stressed. But I'm still learning group life, football. I'm taking it well, I find, all the new things" , he said Sunday in front of the press.

Deschamps launched it at the end of the match against Côte d'Ivoire, Friday in Marseille, four days before aligning it from the start against "Bafana Bafana".

His portrait was smeared with anti-lensoise inscriptions in front of the Lille stadium, his name was whistled by part of the public when the team composition was announced, but his supporters quickly won the match from the stands with shouts of encouragement mingled with applause.

Despite a slight waste, sometimes, in the passes, the tonic lane man struggled on the right wing by multiplying the races, as usual, taking advantage of the weak opposition to show himself on the line of attack.

French defender Jonathan Clauss center, during the friendly match against South Africa, March 29, 2022 at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille FRANCK FIFE AFP

His volley on an opposing clearance, in the 37th minute, even triggered chants bearing his name, to the tune sung in his Bollaert stadium ten days ago during the victory against Clermont to celebrate his first summons.

The Lensois is at the start of the action on the opening of the score signed Mbappé (23rd) by shifting along the sideline Griezmann, the decisive passer.

He himself tried to shake the net with a heavy strike (50th), just before making a pass which could have been decisive for Olivier Giroud (54th).

"The story is beautiful because it's not a usual course" but "it's not Jonathan's party, it's not his jubilee, he shouldn't consider it as an end", had warned Deschamps at the beginning of the course.

Clauss understood the lesson and he proved it in this very particular context.

© 2022 AFP