Euro 2024: tactical shot, right-handed on the left foot, how Upamecano and Saliba have already closed down the defense of the France team

William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano: stop, we are not passing. MAXPPP – Jesper Zerman

In two meetings, the hinge of the Blues, formed by Dayot Upamecano and William Saliba, imposed itself. Without conceding a goal and with authority.

Before the match against the Netherlands, Antoine Griezmann was questioned at a press conference. Question: what is the key to the success of Didier Deschamps? “The group he manages to build. And he always has the little tactical touch that will make the difference”, the vice-captain replied. If the Blues finally came up against the Dutch (0-0), then, the second part of the response of “Grizou” took on its full meaning during this meeting. Because if it struggles to score, the French team has still not conceded a single goal in this Euro. Which it owes in large part to a Dayot Upamecano-William Saliba hinge that few people had imagined would settle in so quickly, so strongly.

Not even the main interested parties. “It's clear that I didn't expect it (to start as a starter, editor's note), Saliba admitted after his performance against Austria (0-1). But when you are called for the Euro, you have to be ready to help."

106 minutes together before the Euro, a move from Deschamps not unprecedented

With a third consecutive clean sheet against the Dutch – after those against Canada (0-0) in preparation, then Austria –, the tandem swept away the doubts linked to a tiny playing time together: 106 minutes in this two-player configuration in the axis before the competition. "But they have this ability to be very solid one on one. Even if we can improve ball releases, we needed that", the coach justified after the inaugural success.

Deschamps is not his first attempt. At Euro 2016, Samuel Umtiti experienced his baptism in the quarter-final to become an indisputable player until the 2018 world title. And in 2022, in Qatar, Upamecano and Ibrahima Konaté sparkled, leaving Saliba in their shadow.

Imperial Saliba in club, Upamecano in blue

The pair seemed set to last. The less obvious trajectory of the second at Liverpool changed the plans. And put Saliba into orbit, despite recent appearances in blue. Considered one of the best in the Premier League, the Arsenal defender did not miss the opportunity during this Euro. "I don’ ;rsquo;I never doubted, even if at the beginning it wasn't easy", he explained in Germany, confident that "the jersey in the selection is much heavier".

For Upamecano, it would be rather the opposite. Although he had to deal with a complicated season at Bayern Munich, since the World Cup in Qatar he has carried around an impression of muted strength in the French team. Memphis Depay, overwhelmed on Friday, can attest to this. When it wasn’t Saliba who ended up raking.

"We feel complementarity"

"This hinge brings a lot of solidity and confidence to the team", complimented Aurélien Tchouaméni on Sunday. While they are receiving praise, the duo has had to adapt to a different positioning. Especially for Saliba, aligned to the right of the axis for the Gunners and to the left in blue. "It changes a lot of things, recognized the ex-Marseillais. Most of the time, I receive the ball with my left foot. It's harder to leave but my teammates help me."

Damien Perquis, specialist in a position held notably in the Polish selection (read below), admits to having been "skeptical"< /em> faced with this choice of placing two right-handers in the axis. "But I found them solid, without embellishment. We sense complementarity, he believes. Deschamps made a rather good choice. And he has the luxury of being able to choose between very good players." Konaté or Pavard will have to be patient. Like the axis, competition today seems closed in on itself. And the tactical move of “DD” already succeeded.