Why Rayan Cherki didn’t respond to Didier Deschamps after France’s World Cup win against Sweden
Friends of Rayan Cherki have explained why he seemed to ignore Didier Deschamps right after France’s recent World Cup win.
On Tuesday, Les Bleus booked their spot in the last 16 with a solid 3-0 victory over Sweden, thanks to two goals from Kylian Mbappe and one from Bradley Barcola.
It was an emotional night for coach Deschamps, who had just returned after missing France’s 4-1 win over Norway due to his mother Ginette’s passing. After the win against Sweden, he hugged many players, but his brief cool moment with Cherki caught people’s attention online.
Videos show Deschamps trying to hug the Manchester City midfielder after Cherki waved to the crowd. But Cherki seemed to pull away and even adjusted his socks when Deschamps came again.
French newspaper L’Equipe has since cleared things up, saying there was no real problem between them. Cherki is actually dealing with a tough personal situation that’s been weighing on him since last week, making him very tired and stressed.
People close to Cherki and the French team say his reaction was just frustration with himself, as he wanted to leave his troubles behind and focus on playing well. Plus, he’s been suffering from sleepless nights.
Cherki, 22, has had a strong season at Manchester City and is eager to help France win the World Cup again. He knows he might not start every game, but teammates like Mbappe and Dembele remind him his time to shine will come, especially later in matches.
France has played some of their best football so far, with many attacking stars making it tough for Cherki to get into the starting lineup. Just after Mbappe scored in New Jersey, he shared a heartfelt hug with Deschamps.
Deschamps had gone back to France for his mother’s funeral, so assistant manager Guy Stephan handled the Norway game. After the win, Deschamps shared his feelings, saying Mbappe’s support meant a lot to him, and praised the team for staying strong when he was away.
He added, “A group’s mindset doesn’t win matches by itself, but I know very well it can lose them.”