Cherki's tense interaction with Deschamps
Manchester City midfielder Rayan Cherki was caught on camera appearing to ignore France head coach Didier Deschamps after the team's 3-0 World Cup round of 32 victory over Sweden. The incident occurred on the pitch at the final whistle, as Deschamps approached Cherki to greet him. Cherki initially walked past the manager before briefly acknowledging him, then stopped to adjust his socks while Deschamps continued speaking.
Cherki was introduced as an 85th-minute substitute, replacing Kylian Mbappe, who scored twice in the match. Bradley Barcola also found the net for France, who now advance to face Paraguay in the last 16 on Saturday in Philadelphia.
Deschamps praises squad unity
Despite the awkward moment, Deschamps highlighted the team's togetherness after returning from a brief absence following the death of his mother. “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. A team's mindset doesn't win matches on its own, but I know all too well that it can make you lose them.”
He added: “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.”
Cherki's role moving forward
Cherki, who joined Manchester City in 2024, has had limited playing time in the tournament. He will hope for more minutes in the last-16 clash against Paraguay, which kicks off at 10pm UK time on Saturday in Philadelphia. France remain one of the favorites to win the World Cup, with Mbappe leading the attack.
