During the World Cup Quarterfinals, France defeated Morocco 2-0. After the match, France head coach Didier Deschamps attended the press conference to accept interviews from the journalists.

You just touched on a very interesting topic: how to find balance within the team, from the attack to the midfield. France now have a wealth of attacking talent, including three players who are genuine Ballon d'Or contenders: Olise, Dembélé and Mbappé. As a coach, when you have three players like that, all of whom, if they perform well, have the chance to compete for one of the highest individual honors in world football, what difficulties and challenges have you faced in trying to find the right overall balance for the team?

Deschamps: Regarding your question, I don't know how to answer, because I feel like I've been doing the same thing all along (laughs). In fact, at the 2022 World Cup, I already had four attacking players. I can name them: at the time there was Griezmann, whose position was similar to Olise's now, as well as Giroud, Mbappe and Dembele. Of course, there was also Muani, whom I forgot to mention just now. They have different characteristics.

Of course, these players are all top-level talents now, among the very best in the world. But they are not in competition with one another. And that is actually not easy to achieve, because it also has to do with their individual personalities. They have very good relationships off the pitch. That applies not only to the three of them, but also to the other players I mentioned, such as Doué, Barcola and others. No one is thinking: “I want to score myself; I want to stand out.”

For example, when I saw Dembélé complete his hat-trick, Mbappé was as delighted as if he had scored the goals himself. They are also united in their teamwork. Of course, when a team has outstanding players, the technical understanding between them is usually easier to develop. But beyond that, the players also need to have the right character.

Some partnerships may not be quite so easy to develop chemistry. Although it is said that Mbappe and Dembele did not communicate much at first, that is not the main point. The key issue is that if one player has no opportunity to create valuable passing chances for the other, then that is the problem. But they can complement each other very well. In addition, I also give them a certain degree of freedom. They can keep switching positions, which makes it harder for opponents to defend against them.

Sometimes Mbappé is on the left, while Dembélé may appear through the middle or in other areas. Olise, meanwhile, can pop up anywhere because he covers an enormous amount of ground. That means opponents are not always facing the same type of attacker. Their qualities are different, too: some are better at beating defenders, some are better at attacking the space in behind, and others have outstanding passing ability. But I don’t want to single out the attacking players. They cannot be separated from the rest of the team. Our two midfielders, as well as our defensive line, have also contributed. It is everyone’s effort that has allowed the team to maintain a good balance.

Everyone has been talking about France's attack. But in three knockout matches, France have not conceded a single goal. Considering the attacking players we just mentioned, is this the aspect of the team that deserves the most pride?

Deschamps: This proves one thing, and that is that all of this can be done. Of course, I’m not someone who enjoys self-torture either (laughs). We had a lot of possession during the match, which allowed us to cause our opponents plenty of problems. But if you lose the involvement of four players in a football match, it will certainly create difficulties. In fact, even being two players short, I think it is very hard for a team to maintain good balance. What we showed now, however, was the right attitude toward the game.

When our two midfielders and four defenders see the effort and commitment the players up front show on the defensive end, they are inspired as well and are willing to give even more. That mutual influence and the way they drive each other on is an important reason why the team can remain competitive. So we will not declare success at this stage. Although we won the match tonight and successfully advanced to the semifinals, we should certainly enjoy this moment and the achievement the team has made.

At the same time, we cannot take any of this for granted. We have reached where we are today because of the effort we have put in, and it is the result of the entire team's collective hard work. Now, the next stage of challenges still awaits us. And when we get to that stage, we will need to rely even more on this team spirit and continue to maintain that collective awareness.

Talk a bit about arrangements on the team's base in Boston

Deschamps: This is the choice I made. Some of my staff went there in advance to inspect it. In the end, it proved to be a very good choice. Not only because the facilities here are excellent, but also because the human environment here is very good. There are many people around our hotel paying attention to us. During training, although they cannot always enter the ground, they have always been there supporting us.

This is a very livable city. There is a park right opposite the hotel. Of course, for us, it is difficult to have much time to go there. But I have had the chance to get out for a short walk myself. It is a quiet and comfortable city. There are many French people here. After locals in Boston learned that the French team had come here and saw our performances on the pitch, they have been paying more and more attention to us.

Every time we go to training, more and more people are waiting by the roadside, whether in their cars or standing along the road. I want to thank them, because there is a very warm atmosphere here. Of course, that also includes the people closest to us, as well as all the staff at the Four Seasons Hotel. They really are extremely kind. They are not only serving us, but also doing everything they can to ensure that the France team is in the best possible condition. They are sharing this experience with us as well. I know that after today's match, they will be waiting for us just as they do after every victory. There will be music, and there will be flags.

Of course, I imagine things must be very lively in France right now as well. Although I myself am in a focused state. But this is also part of football. We have a responsibility to create emotions and share those emotions with everyone. However, when someone asks me whether I dream of winning the title, I am not here to dream. I am far too pragmatic a person.

But our goal is very clear. We are carrying out a mission. This mission is for this France shirt. It is also for everyone who loves the France team——all the women, children, fathers, mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers. Everyone who hopes to see France win the title.