Aurelien Tchouameni, Real Madrid’s talented midfielder and current France captain in the absence of Kylian Mbappe, has expressed his candid thoughts on the UEFA Nations League, Soccernet.football reports.
Speaking at a media conference ahead of France’s upcoming matches, Tchouameni admitted that the tournament doesn’t hold the same prestige as the World Cup or the Euros.
“Not the competition of the century, it is no secret,” Tchouameni stated as per TribalFootball, openly acknowledging that the Nations League is not his most coveted title.
However, he did stress the importance of representing France and aiming for victory.
“I am happy to have added it to my list of achievements in 2021, but it is not the World Cup, it is not the Eurocup… we will do everything possible to win it. Every time we put on the blue shirt we must do everything possible to win.”
Tchouameni further explained that the significance of the Nations League depends on its final stages.
“The League of Nations has the importance that you (the press) give it. I’m not going to tell you I don’t care, but it is a competition that becomes important from the moment we qualify for the final phase.”
Tchouameni’s rise in international football has been swift.
Since his debut for France in September 2021, the midfielder has contributed significantly, including scoring his first international goal against Ivory Coast and netting a crucial goal in the 2022 World Cup quarter-final against England.
However, he was among the unfortunate few to miss in the penalty shootout during France’s heartbreaking World Cup final defeat to Argentina.
Despite these challenges, Tchouameni remains a pivotal figure in France’s midfield as they continue their Nations League campaign.