Raphaël Varane, from Mr Clean to Mr World Cup

With public opinion on the fence at club level - particularly since his arrival in England - and under fire at Les Bleus, particularly after the team's poor results at Euro 2021, Raphael Varane has been unanimously supported since the start of the World Cup. The former Real Madrid player has shown an ability to adapt very quickly to the demands of this competition, which lasts only one month, and has raised his level of play to become the boss of the French team.

It was a great opportunity for the team to showcase their talent and to showcase their skills to the world," he said, adding: "I'm very happy with the way the team is doing. It was a great opportunity for the team to showcase their talent and to show that they are a force to be reckoned with," he said, adding: "I'm sure that we will be able to do that in the future. 

Natural leadership in the blue shirt

"We now have experience and I try to pass this on to the group, to guide the team, whether it be on the state of mind or the mentality. I reboot during the difficult moments, I have to transmit calm and serenity in the games at stake. It's very important and that's my role," said the player before the semi-final against Morocco. 

The Manchester United player exuded a natural calm and serenity in 2018, something that is being repeated four years later in Qatar. He was thrust into the limelight at a young age - at 18 he made his debut for Real Madrid and at 19 he was called up by DD to come to Les Bleus - and Varane has learnt to deal with the pressure of the pitch. He learned to deal with the pressure of the pitch, working alongside greats such as Sergio Ramos and Pepe, until he came of age in Russia to lead France to the top of world football. 

Leadership, that very distinct characteristic of the two players mentioned above, Varane assimilates and applies. With his calm and thoughtful nature, the Lens player will make it one of his strengths in 2018 and then in 2022, where he is more than ever one of the leaders of this group with captain Hugo Lloris and Antoine Griezmann. 

And yet, many have sometimes doubted his ability to hold down a defence, especially when he was at Real Madrid. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do that, but I'm sure I'm going to be able to do that. It was a great opportunity for the team to showcase their talent and to show that they are a force to be reckoned with in the world of football. 

But in France, the story is quite different, at least when it comes to matches that count. If Laurent Blanc was called "the President" because of his calmness and charisma, he could receive the same nickname because his attributes are so similar. 

Boss and pillar of Les Bleus in the World Cup 

His ability to lead his defence is not the only thing criticised when Varane plays for the club. His level of play has also been the subject of discussion, especially since his arrival in the north of England. The Frenchman arrived with superstar status after winning four Champions League titles in Madrid and was expected to be the new cornerstone of the Red Devils. However, the performances have not been as expected so far and a few injuries have held him back quite a bit.

Except that with France at the World Cup, Raphael Varane is simply impeccable. From 2014 to 2022, the defender has always met the requirements and expectations of Didier Deschamps. The French coach, who builds a real relationship of trust with him, also has something to do with the good development of the player.

"With the coach, we have an evolving relationship and we know each other better and better. In our discussions, he knows who I am, he knows my personality, he knows perfectly what I can bring to the group,'' explained Varane before the Morocco match. 

He was the boss of the defence in 2018 alongside Umtiti, and will repeat the same in 2022 alongside Upamecano and Konate. The Lens man ensures the stability of the French backline by not making any mistakes in the restart and by knowing how to anticipate and read the game. This gives a lot of confidence to his teammates who can express all their talent and know-how. "Mr. World Cup" knows how to raise his level of play during this demanding month, which allows his team to achieve the objectives set. On Sunday, he will have the opportunity to add a 21st title to his personal record.