Camavinga opens up about pain of Deschamps snub ahead of 2026 World Cup

Eduardo Camavinga admitted on Sunday that he was deeply affected by his exclusion from the France squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup, during a press conference held the day before the Blues’ trip to Belgium for the second day of the UEFA Nations League.

Absent from the list unveiled in May by Didier Deschamps, the Real Madrid midfielder did not try to downplay the blow. “It obviously hurt me. Everything has been very fast in my life. This kind of disappointment is new, but the most important thing is to bounce back. Rome wasn’t built in a day. I still have time today,” he said. At 23 years old, the player acknowledges that this exclusion represents a first in a career so far marked by rapid ascent.

Last season with Real Madrid was particularly difficult for Camavinga, but the change of manager has revived his international trajectory. Recalled by Zinédine Zidane for the September-October gathering, he played Friday night in the Blues’ victory in Turkey (0-1), marking his thirtieth cap for France A in the process.

Zidane’s presence on the bench holds particular significance for the midfielder, who has worked alongside the merengue legend at Real Madrid. “It has great importance. It’s a victory for me and it shows that I haven’t buried myself. I was able to bounce back. Now I have to repay his confidence. We all know what he represents for France and at first, it was quite special and strange to face him,” Camavinga said.

Strong from their success in Turkey, Zidane’s men travel to Belgium on Monday with the ambition of securing a second consecutive victory in this UEFA Nations League.