France Not Seeking Revenge Against Senegal in World Cup Opener, Says Deschamps

France coach Didier Deschamps stated that his team is not seeking revenge in their World Cup opener against Senegal, despite the historical context of a 2002 loss that led to their group-stage elimination.

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Listen, this was history but even (midfielder) N'Golo (Kante) I'm not sure he saw the game. Nearly most of my players weren't born in 2002.

Deschamps highlighted the generational gap, noting that many of his current players were not even born in 2002. "This was history, but even (midfielder) N'Golo Kante, I'm not sure he saw the game," he told reporters. "Nearly most of my players weren't born in 2002." He emphasized that revenge is not a factor in modern football.

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I know that you like this word 'revenge' but there's no revenge in football.

The defending champions, who will be playing in New Jersey, face scrutiny, particularly striker Kylian Mbappe, who has not scored in recent warm-up matches. The match against Senegal, the first since their 2002 defeat, adds a layer of drama as France aims for a third consecutive final appearance.

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They've got excellent players who play in the best clubs. They've got an offensive capacity, their midfield is excellent. When you're part of the best teams, you've got everything.

Deschamps acknowledged Senegal's strengths, calling them an "excellent" team with talented players in top clubs and strong offensive capabilities. Kante, a key player from the 2018 World Cup win, also expects a challenging match, stressing the importance of setting a positive tone for the tournament rather than focusing on past results. "We want to be part of this squad and to have everyone on board, everybody counts, everybody is important," Kante said. "Of course, our main opponent is ourselves. We need to stay together, concentrated."

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We want to be part of this squad and to have everyone on board, everybody counts, everybody is important.