At 21:00 UTC (CEST) on July 5, France will face Paraguay in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16. On the eve of the match, French forward Doue attended a press conference. This article presents the first part of the press conference.

Hello, Désiré. Since your arrival in the US, we have been talking about the heat, but the current weather is quite exceptional, with the 'feels like' temperature expected to be close to 40 degrees Celsius and significant humidity. Is it reasonable to play such a high-level match in such conditions? Has this been a concern internally for you all over the past few hours?

Yes, we are well aware of tomorrow's weather conditions. That's just how it is. It will certainly be complicated and very hot, but it will be the same for both teams. It could be an advantage or a disadvantage. Therefore, we must give 100% effort during the match, deliver our best performance, and, as I said, both teams will face the same weather conditions.

Hello, Désiré. You experience daily competition at your club, PSG, where the competition among forwards is very intense. Now it feels as though this competition has reached another level. How do you deal with this situation on a daily basis? Is it a motivation? Does it force you to be more focused and push yourself a little further every day?

Yes, I think it really pushes all of us to a higher level. First of all, defensively, we are very strong, and we also have the best defensive players in midfield; we have very, very good midfielders. In attack, without a doubt, we have the best players in the world. So naturally, when there is an opportunity to play alongside these kinds of players, it elevates us and pushes us to show our best. Beyond that, it is just how it is: the coach has built a 26-man squad, and now every player has a role to play, whether coming off the bench or starting. So I am always ready, and once I have my role to play, I will give 100% and deliver my best performance.

Hello, Désiré. On that note, you mentioned that all 26 players have a role to play. Warren Zaire-Emery has not had any playing time since the start of this tournament. You are very close to him, both at PSG and in the national team. How do you feel he is doing day to day? As a close friend, do you feel it is necessary to offer him more support and help keep him in the rhythm of the game?

Warren is an extremely good player with a champion's mentality, and he demonstrates it every day. Even though he currently has zero playing time, he maintains the same energy and desire, and he trains just as hard every day. He is also ready; he is on standby, and when it is his turn to play, he will definitely be ready, I am sure of it.

Hello, Désiré. A quick first question: if you are sitting here with us now, does that mean you will be starting tomorrow? Second question: returning to the topic of competition, there is more obvious competition between you and Barcola at both club level and with the national team. How do you handle this competition, and does it affect your relationship in daily life? Please tell us about it.

Regarding the first question, I have no idea right now. As for the second question, as I just said, that is how it is. We are part of a team, this is the FIFA World Cup, it is a special tournament, and today the coach will make his choices when setting up the team. But as I said, all players have their roles to play, and all players are important. When the time comes, if Bradley needs to play, he will be ready. If I need to play, I will also be ready and step up. And there is no animosity between us; I get along with him very, very well. We are together every day, and nothing has changed in that regard.

Désiré, to follow up slightly on my colleague's question, if you start, given the many qualities in this French team's attack, what difference can you bring to the team? I'd like to hear what sets you apart, especially against a Paraguayan team whose defense is expected to be very strong?

That's a good question. After this, I feel you've started to get to know me a little today. You know my strengths, and I'm very aware of them myself. I also believe I can contribute in many aspects on the field, both offensively and defensively. But that's just how it is; if the coach calls upon me tomorrow, I will step up.

Hello, I assume you understand what I am saying in Spanish? My question is: from the beginning of this tournament, there have been many favorites, and as the tournament has progressed, only France has maintained its highest level, providing a sense of security and delivering very good results. Do you feel pressure not to let your level drop, especially given that there have been many upsets in the FIFA World Cup?

We don't feel any particular pressure because we take it game by game. We really focus on ourselves and on what we have to do on the field. We know we have a lot of strengths, and that's how it is; we had this favourites status before the tournament. Of course, there are other teams, and we have one tomorrow against Paraguay, but I don't think this title will make us win the match. Tomorrow, it won't be our favourites status that defeats Paraguay; we must bring all the elements together from the beginning to the end of the match to win. We must be very serious and very committed because we know this is a very strong team.

Hello, Désiré. Tomorrow is American Independence Day, and also the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States in Philadelphia. Does playing a FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match on such a day carry any special significance for you? Also, regarding the hot weather, how exactly are you adapting?

Yes, we are certainly sensitive to this aspect; we also have our National Day on July 14th in France. After that, it is what it is, and we hope to take part in the celebration tomorrow with a beautiful victory, especially alongside all the French fans. As for the heat, as I just told you, it can be an advantage or a disadvantage for both teams. We must adapt and give our all on the field.

AF's PC site is now live! Browse full news articles, comments, match details and stats on your computer. Visit: www.allfootballapp.com