Didier Deschamps wasn’t expecting this.
When Didier Deschamps announced his 23-man France squad for the World Cup, there was one snub that caught some folk off guard. The decision to bring Steven Nzonzi instead of Adrien Rabiot raised a few eyebrows. However, he had his reasons.
“Adrien’s performances with France are not at the same level as those he delivered with PSG this season.”
Although Rabiot didn’t make the 23, he was placed on the reserves list. Seemingly, he didn’t like that at all.
Several reports began circulating on Wednesday that the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder had refused this opportunity. It was reported that he had written to the French soccer federation to request his removal from the standby list.
Unsurprisingly, Deschamps hasn’t reacted too well to the news. He believes Rabiot is making a ‘huge mistake’ by turning down the opportunity. (quotes via the Daily Mail)
“‘I was obviously surprised. I can understand his immense disappointment but I’m convinced he made a huge mistake. Hopefully it will help him grow up and think. When you play at the highest level, you can let your emotions take over.”
“The France team is above everything. I’m surprised because he is a young player, with only a few caps.”
This is the type of thing that could haunt Rabiot for the rest of his career. Considering how deep the talent pool is in France, he may regret this decision.
