Deschamps, Griezmann and Macron celebrate French qualification to World Cup final
2022-12-15
France coach Didier Deschamps (left) and assistant coach Guy Stephan celebrate after Randal Kolo Muani scores their second goal in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 semifinal on Dec 14, 2022. [Photo/Agencies]
DOHA -- France coach Didier Deschamps praised his players after a 2-0 win over Morocco in the second World Cup semifinal booked them a place in Sunday's final.
France will play Argentina, looking to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win consecutive World Cups.
"There's emotion, there's pride, there's going to be a final step," said Deschamps on French TV after the final whistle.
The coach admitted that it had been a difficult game against Morocco, who had over 60 percent of the ball.
"We have been together with the players for a month and it's never easy, but there's happiness so far," he said.
France's Matteo Guendouzi, Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele celebrate with coach Didier Deschamps and the coaching staff after the match as France progress to the final. [Photo/Agencies]
Man-of-the-Match, Antoine Griezmann said he was "already thinking about Sunday's final" against Argentina,
"We will have to be focused, recover well and prepare for Sunday's match," he added, before praising Leo Messi.
"When a team has Leo with them, it's completely different. We have seen almost all the (Argentina's) matches, we know how they play. They are a very difficult team and they are in a good place.
"They are a group that gets on well with each other like us and they will have their supporters with them," commented Griezmann.
The forward also had praise for Morocco. "They impressed me, they worked very well tactically, defensively and offensively. They gave us a lot of problems," he concluded.
French President Emmanuel Macron and FIFA president Gianni Infantino inside the stadium before the match between France and Morocco. [Photo/Agencies]
French President Emmanuel Macron watched the match from the stands and celebrated France's win.
"Our compatriots need simple and pure joy, sport provides it and soccer in particular. We suffered a lot but we saw a great team. A huge thank you to our coach and to this team which is in fact a mixture of several generations and that is what is great," commented Macron.
