"It's incredible! It's a dream, I'm having a bit of trouble coming back to earth! It's a great satisfaction, a source of pride. Playing for France is something that is close to my heart."
"A comeback like this is extraordinary. The psychological work was done before going onto the field, because the last few years were difficult for me. I worked a lot, never gave up. I told myself that if I had a few minutes, I would give it my all."
Florian Thauvin scored 70 seconds into his first France appearance since June 2019 after replacing Kylian Mbappe as an 83rd-minute substitute in a World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan at the Parc des Princes. Mbappe left the field hobbling with an ankle injury, prompting concern among supporters. Thauvin's acrobatic finish followed a Theo Hernandez cross and secured consecutive international goals despite a six-year, three-month interval between appearances. Thauvin spent 18 months with Tigres UANL, two-and-a-half years at Udinese, and joined Lens in August. The comeback rested on sustained psychological work, resilience, and continued effort.
Read at Soccer News
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