In a fiery critique aired on RMC following the French national football team’s disheartening 2-0 defeat to Croatia in the first leg of the Nations League quarter-finals, former professional player Jean-Michel Larqué lambasted the performance of midfielder Mattéo Guendouzi. The defeat, which took place in Split, Croatia, has raised alarms about the quality and depth of the national squad, particularly in midfield, where Larqué’s comments left no ambiguity on who he holds primarily responsible: Guendouzi.
With emotions still raw from the match, Larqué made headlines by categorizing Guendouzi as “an average player” who has failed to deliver consistent quality on the field. “D'un joueur moyen à l'OM, on en fait un titulaire en Bleu. Il est puissant? Non. Rapide? Non. Il a une bonne frappe? Non. Un bon jeu de tête? Non. Il n'a aucun point fort, il est moyen partout,” Larqué stated, articulating his disappointment with the young midfielder’s lack of standout abilities compared to the legendary players of France’s past.
During the critique, Larqué compared the current French midfield lineup—comprising Guendouzi, Adrien Rabiot, and Aurélien Tchouaméni—to previous generations that included stars like Patrick Vieira and Claude Makélélé, whose superior skills set a glaring standard for today's players. The mention of Tchouaméni as the leading figure in a supposedly lackluster midfield stirred further discontent, with Larqué arguing that there is no real 'reservoir' of talent to draw upon in critical moments.
Using cold hard facts to back up his claims, Larqué revealed that Guendouzi’s performance during the match was less than impressive. Only four forward passes were made out of a total of seventy touches on the ball. “Sur 70 ballons, il n’a fait que quatre passes vers l’avant!” he criticized, emphasizing how worrying it is when a player, particularly a midfielder, struggles to create opportunities for the attack. The first moment Guendouzi managed to deliver a forward pass occurred much too late, after 73 minutes into the game, showcasing a lack of urgency and decisiveness at a time when such qualities are paramount in high-stake matches.
The ongoing discourse around Guendouzi's selection in the national team was further fueled by his move away from Olympique de Marseille to Lazio last summer. While he enjoyed a decent footing under his former manager Jorge Sampaoli, he became less favored when Igor Tudor took over. Critics, including Larqué, highlighted that at the time of his departure, the management at Marseille had deemed him an “unnecessary” player, which begs the question: why is he now deemed essential to the national team?
With the French squad gearing up for a second leg showdown with Croatia to overturn the two-goal deficit, there are serious questions about Guendouzi’s starting position. Speculations suggest that he may lose his starting spot to either Manu Koné or Warren Zaire-Emery, both of whom could bring a fresh vigor to the midfield. As Larqué succinctly put it, “Mais dites-moi quel est son point fort?”—a rhetorical call to assess just how valuable Guendouzi is to the team moving forward.
Despite his average rankings, Guendouzi remains a regular starter for Lazio, a team currently positioned sixth in Serie A and participating in the quarter-finals of the Europa League. Nonetheless, his recent performances have prompted Larqué’s strong rebuttal and reignited discussions on players’ aptitudes on the national stage.
As the French team continues to struggle and fight for relevance against the backdrop of international competition, Larqué's critical lens remains a necessary viewpoint, urging not just performance improvement but a reevaluation of how talent is assessed within the ranks of the national team.
