Both seek revenge.

For the French it is about making amends for the embarrassing elimination at the EM.

"We all failed, we agree," asserts Kylian Mbappé before the semi-finals in the Nations League against Belgium in Turin.

“If you lead 3-1 against a presumably weaker opponent ten minutes before the end.

.

. “And then misses the last penalty after extra time?

“Yes,” replied the French superstar after some hesitation when asked by the interviewer whether his failure against the Swiss Gladbach guardian Yann Sommer was the “black point” in his still young career.

“Well, I lost a Champions League final (against Bayern Munich).

Now it was only a round of 16, but that's how it is, it remains a black point. "

Juerg Altwegg

Freelance author in the features section.

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Kylian Mbappé had given L'Équipe a page-long conversation.

His background is diplomatic: Mbappé tries to calm the public excitement over his rivalry with Messi and Neymar, whom he called a “clochard”, over the conflict at the European Championship with Olivier Giroud, who demanded more balls, and his desire to move to Madrid .

At his employer, Paris St. Germain, they are anything but happy about the interview.

In the national team, however, they liked to hear the good news: the very recent past, it says, has been overcome and with “Les Bleus” everything is OK.

And Mbappé is celebrating an anniversary: ​​He will compete for the national team for the 50th time.

"Not obsessed with the past"

In contrast to the turn of the millennium, when the French also won the European Championship after the World Cup title, their performances since 2018 have not been very exciting. Not much can happen to them in the current qualifying for Qatar, where the focus will be on defending their title. But a show looks different. The most recent 2-0 win against Finland is already considered a success.

For the Belgians, the opportunity to take revenge has all the signs of targeted revenge: for the undeserved defeat in the World Cup semi-finals in Russia. Afterwards there were violent arguments between the neighboring countries, the players and the coaches Martínez and Deschamps. Martínez's assistant at the time was Thierry Henry, who had become French world champion with Deschamps in 1998. The long aftermath was more spectacular than the 90 minutes in the stadium. And the Red Devils are still struggling with fate. On the second anniversary of the defeat, for example, Martínez said that he had analyzed the encounter more than ten times: "I looked at it again while in Russia."

Although Eden Hazard has had two difficult years at Real Madrid and has only been nominated five times since the start of the season by Carlo Ancelotti, Martínez continues to rely on him. "Whenever he plays in the national team, he does it with a clear head," says Hazard's teammate Axel Witsel. “In view of the semi-finals in Russia it will be a very special game,” predicts Borussia Dortmund: “But we're not obsessed with the past. We didn't talk about the defeat during the preparation. We want to keep a cool head. "

That will be difficult after a possible victory.

The moment to take revenge is a good one for the Belgians.

“Yes, when the French play like they did in September.

No, if you consider that it is France, "Witsel puts into perspective:" You never know what they are capable of in a game. "The Red Devils are not lacking in self-confidence:" We have even more experience than 2018 and are playing on the same level."

French arrogance, Belgian self-irony

In any case, the French will not underestimate their opponents.

But Deschamps also tries to appease: “Technology, tactics and the physical condition will decide.

Roberto Martínez and I have a lot of respect for each other.

This also applies to the players who know each other from the clubs.

In 2018, in the heat of the moment, there were verbal excesses on both sides; far too great a importance was attached to them. "

Deschamps has standardized younger players.

For the first time in a long time, two brothers were called up for the national team, Lucas and Theo Hernández, who are under contract with Bayern Munich and AC Milan.

It is uncertain which of the two left-footed animals will be used - but it is unlikely that they will be used at the same time.

Although Deschamps does not want to rule him out.

Relationships between the pretty best neighbors are a prime example of friendly neighborly relationships.

The French make their jokes about the Belgians like the Germans about the East Frisians.

In Belgium, people react to their well-known arrogance with fine self-irony.

But in 2018 the Belgians lost their laughter and the French lost their arrogance.

Probably out of fear that Deschamps and his troops might exaggerate the forced relaxation, the French association president Noël le Graët went to the preparation camp in Clairefontaine.

In order to motivate and mobilize the players, he spoke to them in their conscience: “We are the reigning world champions, but Belgium are the unofficial world champions.

It is number one in the FIFA rankings. "