How Luis Enrique Can Help France at the World Cup
· Yahoo Sports
Set to start the 2026 World Cup with an attacking formation, Didier Deschamps is counting on the defensive involvement of his forwards. Fortunately for the France national team coach, Luis Enrique's demands at PSG should help him.
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Barring any surprises, France again lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in Monday night's preparation match against Northern Ireland (3-1), and they will surely do the same against Senegal for their World Cup opener.
This is now Deschamps' preferred formation. Long known for his defensive philosophy, the France coach is adapting to his group's qualities and no longer hesitates to field four attacking players. That said, the former Marseille coach remains attentive to his players' behavior.
In such a system, the attackers' defensive involvement will be essential, as they risk exposing the midfielders and defenders to opponents' transitions.
For the moment, the risk does not worry Deschamps or Bixente Lizarazu too much. The TF1 commentator knows that the PSG players, accustomed to Luis Enrique's instructions, will systematically make the necessary efforts.
"First, you have to get all these players to attack well together, and then defend well," the former left back commented in his column for L'Equipe.
"You can afford to have one attacker who doesn't defend, and that can only be Kylian Mbappe, as it's no longer necessary to prove that it's not his thing... If anything, I prefer that to a player who pretends and puts his defenders in trouble," Lizarazu said.
"On the other hand, all the others must make efforts, and those who have a head start are the Parisians because they are used to it. The DNA transmitted by Luis Enrique is, in this respect, a blessing for the French national team."
This is also the reason why Ousmane Dembele is trying to convince Kylian Mbappe. As it was revealed a few hours ago, the PSG player reportedly confronted the Real Madrid star over this issue.
Football has been changing for years, and nowadays it is essential for every player to press and defend to compete for titles. You might win one, two, or even three matches in a row from time to time, but sooner or later, you will fall short if you do not build the habit of defending and pressing.
The Fifteen PSG Players Representing Their Nations This SummerNow we have official confirmation of each and every squad at the World Cup this summer, here are the PSG representatives over on the other side of the AtlanticThe relentless intensity shown this season by teams such as Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich made it clear where modern football is heading. With a bit of luck for France, Luis Enrique’s wisdom will help them at the World Cup.