Eduardo Camavinga talks Zidane, Mbappe, World Cup disappointment and rough start to the season: ‘Affected me a lot’

Eduardo Camavinga talks Zidane, Mbappe, World Cup disappointment and rough start to the season: ‘Affected me a lot’ The ongoing season has not been an easy one for Eduardo Camavinga, but the player has also not been completely stripped of his prominence. He is, indeed, far from a starter under Jose Mourinho, especially with the manager having options like Bernardo Silva, Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni at his disposal. Yet, he has been a player the new coach has trusted off the bench, and has relatively repaid that faith decently. Now, he has earned a call-up with France for the international break after missing the World Cup – a clear sign that he is on the right track. Camavinga’s pre-game thoughts Zidane believes in Camavinga. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images) The Real Madrid midfielder spoke to the media ahead of France’s game against Belgium in the UEFA Nations League earlier today and explained his situation with club and country in detail. First, he was asked how it felt to be called up by Zinedine Zidane at a low point in his professional career. “It’s something very important to me, and it’s a personal victory. This proves that I didn’t give up, and that I knew how to come back stronger.” “Now I have to repay Zidane’s trust in me,” he added. Thibaut Courtois is not playing for Belgium in the Nations League owing to a personal decision, and Camavinga remarked on how he was relieved he would not be up against the veteran goalkeeper on the night. “I’m so happy that Courtois won’t play with Belgium tomorrow (laughs).”  Camavinga backed Mbappe’s ability to press. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images) Zidane appears to have decided that Kylian Mbappe’s best place on the field with France is on the wing, and Camavinga was asked how he saw the decision to be from the player’s standpoint. “I think Kylian has already played on the left side before, and in 2022 he delivered an outstanding performance in that position. I’m sure he will succeed in this position under Zidane’s leadership.” When asked if Mbappe can put in the defensive work rate expected of him, the midfielder said, “Yes, absolutely, I wouldn’t tell you otherwise.” Towards the end of his interview, Camavinga was asked what he is lacking in order to be a starter for Real Madrid, to which he said, “Consistency has delivered good levels before, but the most important thing is maintaining consistency. You have to stay focused on the pitch and make fewer mistakes.” Finally, he opened up on how difficult it was for him to miss out on the FIFA World Cup. “Not participating in the World Cup affected me a lot. Everything in my life happened quickly, and this disappointment is new to me.” “The most important thing now is to come back and recover, because everything needs its time,” he added. Source:  L’Equipe