EXCLUSIVE: Guillaume Hoarau on Dembele against Norway, team unity and preparations for Sweden

“I want to say congratulations to Guy Stephan and the entire French staff”: it was a very unique situation for France this Friday, with Deschamps having to leave the squad after his mother’s passing on Tuesday.

And yet, his team brilliantly managed their last group stage match, winning 4-1 against Norway, which allowed them to finish strong and secure first place.

“You could really feel the family spirit on the bench, hugs after the goal, after the win,” explains Hoarau. Of course, you imagine everyone’s thoughts were with Deschamps, to whom we send our best wishes and deepest condolences. But I think what happened yesterday is exactly what you need in a tournament: you could feel real solidarity coming straight from the pitch itself.”

The team above all

The group stage showed just how formidable this French team is. If there were doubts before the tournament – especially about the team’s balance with a four-man attack – those have vanished after three matches, as Les Bleus have grown stronger. Now, a strong team spirit stands out, and that’s “the most important thing,” according to Hoarau.

“If the players keep putting the team first, it doesn’t matter who starts, because the substitutes are decisive and play a hugely important role, if not the most important. Yesterday, at the end of the match, when you bring on Bradley Barcola or Rayan Cherki, the intensity dropped a bit. But in a much more tense match, these are players who can make a difference. And that’s something the coach is well aware of.”

Now the question is who will be in the starting XI for Les Bleus from the match against Sweden, because once again yesterday, Deschamps and his staff made two or three adjustments, most likely to observe certain players before making a final decision for the knockout stage.

“The French team needed to try out some combinations, give playing time to players like Manu Kone or Theo Hernandez, but I think in the coach’s mind, his starting XI for the round of 32 against Sweden is already set.

“As for Kone, yes, it’s a talking point, because now he’s established himself: he’s performing, and it’s no longer a surprise. Still, I think he’ll go with Aurelien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot – they remain the foundation, the solid core in midfield, and they’re very complementary,” continues Hoarau.

“The position that’s still up for grabs, a bit open, is left-back, between Theo and Digne. It’s true that after yesterday’s match, you feel like Lucas Digne has the edge, because he brings more control to the team and more balance. And it’s true that Theo offers more going forward, but I think the coach will analyse it based on the opponent too: if you need a left-back who defends more, it’ll be Digne; if you need to push on the flanks, it’ll be Hernandez.”

[infobox id=”4ccc1b10-d68f-4c97-bcf4-5e613c17c2e3″ /]Dembele: Ballon d’Or

But the one who stood out on Friday, single-handedly outshining all his attacking teammates, was Ousmane Dembele. Scoring a hat-trick in just 32 minutes, the PSG forward played a direct role in France’s 4-1 win and their first-place finish in the group against Norway.

“Ballon d’Or, that’s it, that’s all, Ballon d’Or.” For Guillaume Hoarau, Dembele “reminded everyone why he was the Ballon d’Or and why he could be again this year”, as he “did it all” against Norway. The first goal scored by the Parisian striker against the Norwegians “freed Ous and lifted the French team”.

In the end, a well-deserved hat-trick against Erling Haaland’s team, the perfect way to wrap up the group stage. The former international also emphasised what, in his view, makes the difference for Dembele when he regains his confidence.

“You see him do everything—making runs in behind, cutting inside and making you dance one-on-one… Yesterday, it was a perfect performance; he got his three goals.”

This performance came in a special context: Dembele was very reserved in the mixed zone after the match, clearly still affected by the media criticism in recent months. But now, “Ousmane has just put his signature at the bottom of the page, saying that this World Cup will also be his,” says Hoarau.

Les Bleus have ‘shifted into third gear’

The day after this win over Norway, Hoarau believes the French team is on an upward trajectory. “France is clearly gaining momentum,” he says, before stressing that it was crucial to dispel all doubts before the knockout stage.

“That’s exactly what we were waiting for: for them to erase all possible doubts before the finals. I think yesterday, it’s true that Norway fielded their B-team – I really would have liked to see both teams at full strength. Because we still saw some shaky moments, and those are the weak spells in a match; but as long as France doesn’t concede during those spells, the outlook is still bright.”

The next challenge, against Sweden, is approached with a mix of confidence and caution: “Sweden, for me, is definitely a team within our reach. We have to respect this opponent; we absolutely can’t take it easy, and I don’t think that’s Didier Deschamps’ way.

“So if Les Bleus keep up the intensity, I think they have what it takes to go through. And then, in the round of 16, if it’s Germany, that’ll be a real mental and tactical test. After that, Netherlands or Morocco – for me, Germany, Netherlands, Morocco, they’re all on the same level, so I still think France is above them.”

For Hoarau, the strength of this French team lies in the variety of ways they can win. He identifies three complementary levers. “The most important thing is that France now needs to have several ways to win”, he explains.

“Through possession: they know how to keep the ball, they know how to control the tempo. Through transitions: that’s really where they excel, because when you play against France, either you push forward to score and then have to get back to defend – the transitions are really the French team’s strong point, with Kylian Mbappe, Dembele, Desire Doue, Barcola, Michael Olise… the individual talent is incredible.

“And because they know how to defend too: their defensive solidity means that even if they’re having an off day in attack, you’ll need to score two or three against France, and defensively, with this coach, for me, it’s just mission impossible.”

This combination of attacking power and defensive strength, for Hoarau, is “the hallmark of great champion teams” – those who, over the course of a tournament, rely first on their ability not to concede, and then let their attacking talent shine.

He finishes on a decidedly optimistic note for Les Bleus: “I think yesterday’s match added another layer to the idea that France is the big favourite for the tournament. Now, I’m still waiting for the opponent who will start to really challenge Les Bleus, because for me, they’ve shifted into third gear and still have fourth and fifth to go. I can’t wait to see what’s next.”