Rayan Cherki seems to have ignored Didier Deschamps after France’s win over Sweden.
Rayan Cherki was seen having a chilly moment with manager Didier Deschamps after France’s 3-0 win over Sweden in New Jersey.
Les Bleus moved on to the World Cup round of 16 thanks to two goals from star Kylian Mbappe, with Bradley Barcola also scoring. The two-time champions will face Paraguay on Saturday after the South American team pulled off a big surprise by beating Germany on penalties.
Deschamps was back on the sidelines after missing the 4-1 win over Norway due to his mother’s passing. When Mbappe scored, he and the team ran to celebrate with Deschamps in a touching moment.
But after the game, some footage from the stands showed Cherki looking frustrated with his manager.
After a great first season with Manchester City, where he was one of Europe’s most creative players, Cherki still hasn’t started for France in the World Cup. He has played in all four games but only as a substitute, totaling 55 minutes.
A video that went viral showed Deschamps trying to hug Cherki, but the former Lyon player waved to the stands and didn’t seem interested. When Deschamps came over again, Cherki moved away and even pulled down his socks, looking like he didn’t want the hug. The clip got millions of views, but neither Deschamps nor Cherki has commented on it.
Cherki has been active on social media, sharing photos from France’s official Instagram and posting a squad picture on the plane with the caption “Gang.”
Deschamps had recently returned to France for his mother’s funeral, with assistant coach Guy Stephan leading the team during the Norway game.
Mbappe’s celebration was a sign of the team’s unity, which meant a lot to Deschamps during a tough time.
“On a personal level, Kylian’s gesture touched me a lot,” Deschamps said. “He’s our captain and has been amazing from day one. The team stayed united and did what was needed when I wasn’t there. They knew I was with them when I came back. A strong team spirit doesn’t win matches by itself, but it can definitely stop you from losing them.”
Deschamps will step down after the tournament when his contract ends, with France legend Zinedine Zidane seen as the top choice to take over. He hopes to finish with a third World Cup win, having lifted the trophy as France captain in 1998 and guided the team to their second win as manager 20 years later.