Aymeric Laporte corrects Didier Deschamps in an extensive interview with The Guardian. The center defender of Manchester City has indeed tried to contact the French national coach, who says he has never heard anything. Laporte has French roots and has completed several youth international matches in the past. Just before the European Championship, however, he opted for an international career in the shirt of Spain.
“I don’t like that he (Laporte, ed.) comes up with lies,” Deschamps reported in the French media at the beginning of June. “The only message I received about him was in October last year and it was about an injury. He could nevertheless have played for France, ten seconds would have been enough,” said the choice lord of the reigning world champion. In Laporte’s view, the French Football Association had long been aware of Spain’s attempts to recruit him.
“Six years ago already”, Laporte emphasizes, accurate in the group match with Slovakia (0-5) on Wednesday last week. “But I never got a call back about that. I’d rather not bring it all up again, but I did make myself heard. There was just never a response. I still have the message in my phone. Maybe Deschamps has changed his phone number or bought another phone. That’s all possible. However, I sent a message to the number Deschamps called me with,” explains the Spain international.
“So there has never been a response to that. Anyway, due to all the events, I myself did not find it necessary to inform France about my decision. It is more something that has been blown up by the media. I have always made it clear that I only want to stand up for a country that wants to make an effort for me, otherwise it’s no use I don’t want to say that France didn’t want us at all, but I am grateful for the opportunity given to me by Spain I want their trust but gladly pay back,” says the combative and ambitious defender.
“I’ve been in contact with the Spanish federation for years and they really stuck their necks out for me,” Laporte continues. “Luis Enrique also called me personally. Then the choice was made quickly for me, although it was not an easy one. My family still lives in France and I also played for youth teams there. There were discussions with relatives and also doubts, which make sense if you have two passports. There were different opinions, but I feel comfortable with the choice of Spain. In addition, unlike my family, I spent eight years in Spain,” concludes the Spanish mandekker, the opponent on Monday evening. of Croatia in the eighth final of the European Championship.
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