Deschamps Responds to Criticism Over Rabiot Substitution During World Cup Semi-Final
France coach Didier Deschamps has addressed the backlash regarding his decisions in the World Cup semi-final against Spain, emphasizing that Milan midfielder Adrien Rabiot essentially requested to be substituted.
Les Bleus entered the tournament in the USA, Canada, and Mexico as favorites to win the trophy, having won every match until they faced Spain, where they suffered a 2-0 defeat in the semi-final.
Deschamps faced scrutiny for several choices during the match, particularly for opting to start Aurelien Tchaouameni over Roma’s Manu Kone. He made the controversial decision to substitute Rabiot at halftime, rather than Tchaouameni, a choice that reportedly left some players confused and frustrated, as noted by L’Equipe.
Deschamps defends Rabiot decision
Today, at a press conference before the upcoming third-place match against England, Deschamps explained his reasoning. “The relationship I have with Adrien and the others… at the first hydration break, he comes over to me and says: ‘I can’t play my normal game anymore,’” Deschamps stated.
Having experienced similar situations as a player, he reflected, “I was in two different semi-finals with a yellow card hanging over my head, and I remember that feeling.”
Rabiot received a yellow card during the first half and faced the possibility of a second booking, prompting Deschamps to act. He observed that, in midfield, “the game is wide open, so the threat can come from anywhere.”
Deschamps shared that he advised Rabiot to manage his challenges carefully, as “there was one situation where it was close.” He acknowledged that he removed a player who was in strong form for risk management, stating, “half-time was a window of opportunity for substitutions.”
Interestingly, although yellow cards were reset after the quarter-finals in the tournament, a red card received by Rabiot would still have led to his suspension had France advanced to the final.