Camavinga unhappy with reduced France role but confident chance will come

Eduardo Camavinga is not happy with playing a limited role for France at Euro 2024, but he will remain patient in the knowledge he will get his opportunity eventually.

Camavinga was a regular for Real Madrid as they won the Champions League and LaLiga in 2023-24, playing 2,825 minutes across 46 games, 32 of them starts.

However, he has not been able to win a place in Didier Deschamps’ preferred France midfield at the Euros, with N’Golo Kante returning to the setup to play alongside Aurelien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot.

Camavinga played just 48 minutes in substitute appearances against Austria and Poland in the group stage and is not expected to force his way into the lineup for Monday’s last-16 clash with Belgium.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, the versatile 21-year-old said he was unhappy with the situation but has faith his chance will come.

“This is not a positive outcome for me. The fact that I don’t play much doesn’t necessarily make me happy,” Camavinga said.

“I know that one day or another, my time will come. You have to be ready, like at the World Cup when the coach asked me to come on in the final.

“You have to be ready during training. Me, before matches, I do the same thing, I listen to music, I do my warm-ups.

“If my head is right, my legs will follow. A competition is not played with 11 players. The most important thing is to be focused until the end.”

2012 – France had not failed to finish top of their group at a major tournament (World Cup + EURO) since EURO 2012, ending a run of five consecutive tournaments finishing in 1st place in their group. Laborious. #FRAPOL pic.twitter.com/SdtV85HVhv

— OptaJean (@OptaJean) June 25, 2024

Camavinga also had limited gametime at the 2022 World Cup, appearing twice and starting once as France reached the final but lost on penalties to Argentina.

In that final – a thrilling 3-3 draw that featured a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick – Camavinga came on at left-back after illness struck the France camp.

He has also played in that position for his club, but he maintains central midfield is his preferred role, saying: “I still don’t enjoy it, that hasn’t changed.

“But I’m a team player. If I have to play full-back again, I will. But it remains a position that I do not like.”

Camavinga will not come up against his Madrid team-mate Thibaut Courtois on Monday, as the goalkeeper was left out of Belgium’s squad despite returning from an anterior cruciate ligament injury shortly before the end of the season.

Courtois has been frozen out since he stormed out of Domenico Tedesco’s camp last year, and Camavinga says his absence will benefit Les Bleus.

“Him not playing is a good thing for us,” Camavinga said. “Belgium are a great footballing nation, with great players.

“The group stage is the past for them, like for us, and I think mentally, the Belgians will be stronger. This remains a team that can surprise us at any time.”