When the ex-Monégasque joined Todd Boehly’s newly acquired side back at the beginning of August, amongst a star-spangled crop of over £400 million’s worth of talents, some wondered whether he had the shoulders to carry the burden of being one of the leaders of such an inexperienced squad.

Admittedly, it had been an eventful few months for the Frenchman, starting on November 9th 2022, when his national team’s manager Didier Deschamps selected him, amongst 22 others, to represent the country during the upcoming World Cup in Qatar. Just three weeks later, he was given his first start against Tunisia, in the last match of the group stages. An experience which he states “changed him”.

Just under a year from then, and 11 games into the current Premier League season (10 of which he started), Disasi has carved out a place in Chelsea’s starting XI. “He (Mauricio Pochettino) gave me the necessary confidence. He didn’t hesitate to put me into [the line-up] a week after my arrival,” Disasi told L’Équipe.

“When I resumed with Monaco, I was eyeing a move, so I prepared very well during the Summer pre-season. The league was also very appealing to me […] in the long-term I knew I needed to get to a club with a bigger stature. I needed to get out of my comfort zone,” he added.

Disasi is the joint-third most-used outfield player this season, only behind club-grown Levi Colwill and Conor Gallagher. He’ll be hoping to be a part of “Dédé’s” France squad for Euro qualifier games against Gibraltar and Greece, which will be announced on Thursday.

GFFN | Alfred Lalande

Messi was influential during the 2022 edition of the World Cup in Qatar as he won it for the first time. He netted a brace in the final as Argentina beat France on penalties. It was the final trophy to add to his cabinet, and Messi has admitted that winning the trophy at least in part contributed to his move to the United States this summer. Following the expiry of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain, the former Barcelona forward chose to join MLS side Inter Miami and he said that having achieved all he set out to achieve in his career, he could let himself be swayed by non-sporting factors.

Speaking to France Football, Messi has said that he wishes to play “until he feels that he no longer can,” but added that he is pessimistic of his chances of making the 2026 World Cup. “Obviously, you always want to play in these kinds of matches and even more so after becoming world champion. But there is a long time until then (2026). Even if it’ll come quickly, there are a few years before the World Cup and I don’t want to look so far ahead,” said the former PSG forward. 

He added, “It’s not about just being there just for the sake of it, but about feeling good and being able to bring something to the team. Knowing that I’ll be 39 years old, it may be difficult, but we’ll see how I feel physically.”

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Messi is considered one of the frontrunners to succeed Karim Benzema as the winner of the highly-coveted Ballon d’Or.The former Paris Saint-Germain forward won the World Cup with Argentina in December, The trophy was the only one that had alluded him up to that point. 

Mbappé and Haaland are both also considered frontrunners. The former is currently considered by many as the best player in the world. At international level, Mbappé scored a hat-trick in the World Cup, as France lost on penalties. He has since been named captain of Les Bleus. Haaland meanwhile had a record-breaking debut season in the Premier League and helped lead Manchester City to their first-ever UEFA Champions League. 

For Rabiot, Mbappé and Haaland are the favourites to win the Ballon d’Or, which will be awarded on 30th October. “I hear a lot of people saying Messi will win it. But on a sporting level, it will be between Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland. Saying which one of those two will be difficult, depends what it’s based on. No one ever agrees, but it will be between those two. I exclude everyone else,” said Rabiot. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

https://twitter.com/NabilFekir/status/1710403307112366293

Fekir was part of the 23-man France squad that went on to win the greatest prize there is in world football five years ago, in Russia. Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann, who both scored in the World Cup final against Croatia (4-2) have hatched the idea to give every player in Didier Deschamps’ squad a personalized 2018 World Cup winner ring, modeled on the champions’ signet ring in American leagues like the NBA.

Fekir’s World Champion ring was eventually sold for €42,500. The 30-year-old Real Betis player is the founder of Seed, a charity fund whose objective is to maximize the aid granted to the most underprivileged by bringing together donors and by relying on proven associations.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval

L’Equipe understands that the 74-year-old Qatari executive stands accused of “acts of private corruption related to the awarding of the 2022 Football World Cup.” Bin Hammad has received a lifetime ban of all FIFA-related activities in 2012 after being accused of buying votes in the organization’s presidential race. Le Monde adds that Bin Hammad, since his lifetime ban, has been silenced by the Emir of Qatar Tamim Ben Hamad Al Thani and his predecessor Hamad Ben Khalifa Al Thani.

Parquet National Financier, France’s National Financial Prosecutor’s Office, is in charge of the matter. France’s highest financial court understands that Bin Hammad tried to “neutralize a vote favorable to Qatar’s competitors” on December 2, 2010, when the 2022 World Cup was awarded to the Emirate, by financially taking charge of president of the Oceanian Football Confederation Reynald Temarii’s legal fees. Temarii has since been indicted of private and passive corruption. Temarii previously admitted that he received a luxury watch after meeting the Emir of Qatar in 2010. Out of remorse, the Tahitian reportedly threw it in the Tahaa Lagoon, in the Pacific Ocean.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval

Speaking to Italian Football TV, Materazzi revealed the content of the exchange that led Zidane to lose the plot. “You know the NBA? Trashtalking? My trashtalking was nothing. He offered me his shirt [at the end of the game]. I said ‘no, I’d prefer your sister'”. Materazzi’s contribution to Italy’s fourth World Cup win cannot be understated. He cancelled out Zidane’s famous panenka opener by heading home from a corner, and then produced a masterful defensive display alongside eventual Ballon d’Or winner Fabio Cannavaro and scored his penalty during the shoot-out.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval

The 25-year-old has recalled how Les Bleus boss Didier Deschamps broke the news to him whilst he was preparing to make alternative plans for the international break. “It was on a Monday morning. I was preparing my things for the holidays,” said Disasi.

Disasi reported back to La Turbie, AS Monaco’s training centre, to pick up a smartwatch which included his training schedule to follow during the winter break. “I was on my way home to get my family and my luggage to go to the airport when I received a call from Didier Deschamps.” The national team manager told him he’d replace the injured Presnel Kimpembe in the France squad. “I pulled over to the side of the road to continue the call. The coach told me I needed to be at Clairefontaine today. On the spot, I was so happy and proud but I needed to arrange my departure very quickly.”

Disasi says his elation completely evaporated the moment he sat foot on Clairefontaine’s pitches. “It was great to be here but I was not called up to make up the numbers. I had to show the manager he was right to pick me.” Disasi went on to play more minutes than he might have thought when he became Jules Koundé’s understudy at right-back, after Benjamin Pavard’s erratic display against Australia. Disasi got his first cap in the group stage’s dead rubber against Tunisia. “The coach said he trusted me to hold my own because he knew it’s not my favourite position. I took it as a great sign of confidence. My very first game for France occurred in a World Cup. It’s a beautiful memory I’ll never forget.“

GFFN | Bastien Cheval

The English scoring sensation in Ligue 1, who netted 17 times in 27 games with the Champagne side, is said to be on the brink of a national team switch. After England’s manager Gareth Southgate overlooked him for the coming Three Lions’ games, Balogun posted a cryptic message on Instagram that reads “In life, go where you’re appreciated“

The Arsenal loanee, who is also eligible to play for Nigeria, has played for the US Men’s National Team up to U18 level but then went on to represent England at youth level. The New York-born player has been called up to feature for England’s U21 squad. However, he pulled out of the Young Lions’ side, officially, through injury. Last week, interim US manager Anthony Hudson said that the United States’ FA were “in open dialogue” with Balogun.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval

The tactical experiment did not really stick, with France leaking too many goals. “The three-man defense is no longer a priority option”, Deschamps said. “The goal remains to be the most dangerous for the opponent and to keep an interesting defensive reliability.” During the 2022 World Cup, Deschamps reverted to a no-nonsense four-man defense, with Dayot Upamecano (24) proving one of the most consistent outfield player for France and Ibrahima Konaté (23) excelling when called upon. With Varane announcing his retirement, the former Leipzig centre-backs are expected to form the starting partnership at the back. “The 4-man system remains a good option. I don’t want to change for the sake of changing. During the World Cup, we had a better balance.”

However, Deschamps implied that a three-man system may work against several opponents, although France has, as of now, very few high-performing wingbacks. “Everything also depends on the opponent“, Deschamps assessed. “I don’t want to be dependent of a system. We need to have something that is the most rational in relation to the opponet, without losing the quality and the potential to be threatening”.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval

It was “RKM” who won the penalty that Kylian Mbappé (24) scored to halve the deficit. “For me, I was just playing another football match,” Kolo Muani assessed. “I was so focused. I said to myself ‘Randal, play your football, like it’s the last game of your career.’ It was a World Cup final, I maxed myself out.“

Deep in injury time of extra-time, as both teams geared for a career-defining penalty shootout, France and Kolo Muani had the title up for grabs. Ibrahima Konaté (23) launched a long ball that caught the Argentina defence by surprise and enabled Kolo Muani to go one-on-one with Emiliano Martinez (30).

The Aston Villa goalie spread himself to thwart the Frankfurt man’s volley with a stunning save. “It could have changed my life,” admits the French forward. “When I watch it back, I realise I had so many possibilities. But on the pitch, it all goes so fast.” Kolo Muani admitted that, with hindsight, he could have squared the ball to the onrushing Mbappé, chipped the ball over Martinez or volleyed it to the keeper’s left.

The Bondy-born forward added: “I’m not going to forget it, ever. We were this close to bring home a third star. I’m not going to lie, that makes me mad.“

GFFN | Bastien Cheval