‘I’m not worried’: Didier Deschamps unphased at Aymeric Laporte’s decision to represent Spain

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·8 July 2024

‘I’m not worried’: Didier Deschamps unphased at Aymeric Laporte’s decision to represent Spain

Équipe de France coach Didier Deschamps reiterated that he was comfortable with Spain defender Aymeric Laporte’s (30) decision to switch international allegiance to La Roja ahead of the pandemic-delayed Euro 2020 tournament.

French-born Laporte, who plays for Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr, is part of an all-French-born centre back pairing for Luis de La Fuente’s side, along with Real Sociedad’s Robin Le Normand (27). After representing France at youth level, he was called up for Euro 2020 qualifiers against Albania and Andorra but was forced to withdraw with injury and never called up again by Deschamps.

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After receiving Spanish nationality ahead of the pan-European tournament in 2021, the former Athletic Bilbao defender making his debut in a pre-tournament friendly with Portugal and has 33 caps to his name to date. He will face the country of his birth for the first time tomorrow as France take on Spain in the first Euro 2024 semi-final in Munich.

When asked about the defender, Deschamps wished him well, but stressed that he wasn’t phased about his decision to represent tomorrow’s opponents :

” I’m not worried. He made his choice. Good luck to him, he must be happy with his choice and that’s the important thing, there is another player who made this choice too because they had the option. There isn’t anything to regret, the important thing is that Aymeric can make the most of his situation and I believe that to be the case.”

GFFN | Jack McArdle