EXCLUSIVE - World Cup: why the France team is "favorite", according to Laurent Blanc

Interview by Jacques Vendroux and Jean-François Pérès, edited by Gauthier Delomez 12:00 p.m., May 28, 2022, modified at 12:00 p.m., May 28, 2022

EXCLUSIVE

Former coach of the Blues, between 2010 and 2012, Laurent Blanc shares a "positive" opinion on the current France team, a few months before the World Cup in Qatar.

Exceptional guest of

, the one who is quite rare in the media talks about his point of view on the selection of Didier Deschamps, who has a good chance, according to him, of succeeding herself.

"Everyone must have a positive opinion", proclaims the 1998 world champion. "It was not the case in our time, when there were some unfavorable opinions", he adds to the microphone of Jacques Vendroux and Jean-Francois Peres.

>> Find the full exclusive interview with Laurent Blanc on Saturday at 8 p.m. in Europe 1 Sport

"They are already reigning world champions. They have to bear this pressure, of being number one favorite because everyone will say that the French team is the favorite for the World Cup in Qatar. is the truth", maintains Laurent Blanc.

"There are other national teams that are very strong: Spain, Belgium, England, Brazil, Argentina."

Despite these big teams, the former French international hammers on Europe 1: "Everyone is unanimous to name a team that has the potential and is the reigning world champion, it's France."

Mbappé: "I think he will become the best player in the world"

As in 2018, the Blues can count on their young nugget, Kylian Mbappé.

A player whose development Laurent Blanc is closely following.

"He is young, he can and he will still progress, I guarantee it," he says first.

"We must wish him the best in terms of physical health. He will spend some time in Paris, then he will go and play in the big clubs of the world, he will win a lot of trophies (...). I think he will become, if not perhaps, the best player in the world," said the former Paris Saint-Germain coach.

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PSG, a club with which Kylian Mbappé has renewed his confidence by extending his contract.

"He made a very courageous decision (...). I think it's good. He will go abroad. Let's take advantage of seeing him play in our championship for a while yet", underlines Laurent Blanc, who had already suspected the talent of number 7 in Paris.

"I saw him for the first time during the Gambardella Cup (a youth competition, editor's note). He made huge differences (...). He reminds me of the Brazilian Ronaldo", explains the 1998 world champion, who hopes the 23-year-old will keep "a strong head" in the future.