In a trilogy, the last installment of the saga is usually the least successful. For the French team, this was proven during the third match of the year against Belgium, on Monday, October 14, despite the victory against the Red Devils (2-1). Their main player during these three games, Randal Kolo Muani, for his part remained constant, once again decisive and one of the only French players to escape mediocrity at the King Baudouin stadium in Brussels.
In four months, the Belgian “seum” against France has changed, going from the defeat in the World Cup semi-finals to the insolent success of Kolo Muani. In July, the latter caused an own goal by Belgian defender Jan Vertonghen in the round of 16 of the European Championship (1-0). Last month he scored the first goal in the French victory in Lyon (2-0) against the Red Devils. Monday, in the cold of the Belgian capital, relegated Domenico Tedesco’s players to within five points of France in Group 2 of the Nations League.
His two goals this afternoon confirm that Kolo Muani is not the same player, whether for Paris Saint-Germain or the French national team. At the beginning of the rally, on Monday, October 7, the native of Bondy arrived in Clairefontaine (Yvelines) certainly disappointed by his performance the day before with PSG: against OGC Nice, in Ligue 1, he had been substituted midway through the half , for only his second start of the season.
In Paris, Kolo Muani is discredited by Luis Enrique, who generally prefers Marco Asensio and Lee Kang-in, attacking midfielders, to play in the front line of attack. After his difficult first season at the capital club last year, Kolo Muani explained that he was under more pressure at PSG than with the ‘bleus’. “That’s why I play a little more freely. [en équipe de France] »He specified just before the Euro Cup.
Starting in the national team without being in the club?
Like Antoine Griezmann before, when the latter had difficulties acclimatizing to FC Barcelona, Kolo Muani made the national team a moment to breathe and let off steam away from PSG. Without that double face, like that of Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde, which surprises anyone. “Randal never surprises me. He has great confidence in himself. It also shows that having the coach’s trust is good for the mind.”stressed Mattéo Guendouzi after the meeting.
In the French team, Kolo Muani is therefore less expected and, above all, he benefits from the trust of his coach, who was quickly convinced by his performances and his personality. “I always found him cool by nature, sometimes even too cool”Deschamps, very tense during the meeting, described at a press conference. This character allowed the attacker not to tremble and score the first goal of the game against the Belgians, from a penalty (35th). The failure in the same exercise, a few minutes earlier (23), by Youri Tielemans, the Belgian captain, could have given rise to reflection. But not Kolo Muani.
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