Manchester City star Rayan Cherki was seen in an awkward moment with France head coach Didier Deschamps after their World Cup round of 32 victory over Sweden, with footage showing the playmaker seemingly ignoring his manager.
France Cruise Past Sweden
France secured a 3-0 win against Sweden in North America, confirming their spot in the last-16 phase of the tournament. Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe scored twice, while Bradley Barcola also found the net as Les Bleus advanced comfortably.
Cherki was named on the substitutes' bench by Deschamps and entered the match in the 85th minute, replacing Mbappe for the final moments in New Jersey.
Tense Exchange Caught on Camera
Following the final whistle, footage surfaced of Cherki walking across the pitch as Deschamps approached him. The Manchester City star appeared not to immediately recognise the France boss before offering a fleeting greeting. Cherki then paused to adjust his socks while Deschamps continued attempting to chat with the playmaker.
Cherki will hope for more playing time when France face Paraguay in the last 16 on Saturday night (10pm BST) in Philadelphia.
Deschamps Praises Squad Unity
Deschamps praised the unity within the France squad after the win, having recently travelled back to France following the death of his mother before rejoining the players.
"The squad was united. They did what was needed while I was away, and it was better that I wasn't there, both for them and for me," Deschamps said. "But once I returned, they knew I was with them, and that's a very good thing."
He added: "A team's mindset doesn't win matches on its own, but I know all too well that it can make you lose them. We'd seen the other knockout matches. It's tough for everyone. It was less of a struggle for us because we executed our game plan very well, but we've only just reached the round of 16."
"We know what awaits us in four days. We'll have to repeat this performance against an opponent with different qualities, though obviously, the French team has very talented players. And when they play with that kind of mindset and focus, it's excellent."
