DOHA, Nov 21 – Nothing is going to faze France in their World Cup opener against Australia, not the absence of Karim Benzema or the dispute over the “One Love” bracelet in Qatar, captain Hugo Lloris said on Monday. .
The defending champions begin their campaign in Group D on Tuesday, when they will look to topple the “socceroos” as they did to start their journey to Russia 2018.
They have suffered a series of injuries, ruling out key midfielders Ngolo Kante and Paul Pogba, and most recently Ballon d’Or winner Benzema, who left the team in the early hours of Sunday after retiring with a thigh injury. , and center back Presnel Kimpembe.
“We continue to believe in our possibilities, in our squad. The last minute casualties, especially Karim’s, have not helped,” Lloris said at a press conference. “But I want to think that the team will move on.”
Several teams – England, Wales, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and Denmark – had planned to wear the One Love bracelet against any form of discrimination, but in a joint statement they backed out hours before England’s first game. against Iran on Monday.
According to FIFA regulations, team clothing must not bear any motto, statement or image of a political, religious or personal nature, and during the World Cup, the captain of each team “must wear the captain’s armband provided by FIFA “.
France had not planned any action, staying out of the controversy.
“I want to say that FIFA organizes the competition and establishes a framework, some rules. We players are here to play football and represent our country at a sporting level,” said Lloris.