Patrice Evra, previously excluded from the French national team after the incidents involving Krysna, has made a comeback under Didier Deschamps and has become an important figure in the team’s locker room. The Manchester United left-back, who was a substitute at halftime against Belarus, spoke up during the break, surprising some players. However, Deschamps sees nothing wrong with Evra’s new role.
Deschamps defended Evra’s leadership role, stating, “Pat spoke up, like me, like other players. I don’t understand how this could be disturbing, that someone who is also a substitute gets involved in the collective. (…) Leader in the French team cannot be improvised overnight. You need legitimacy, experience, and inevitably it is those who have been there for a long time who have the most. Evra is a leader; he has been a starter at Manchester United for six years and plays 60 games per season. If I take him, it’s not because I knew him in Monaco.”
