While attending a press conference, France national team player Nkunku shared his feelings about returning to the national team and gave insight into the current state of the team and his personal experiences.
I am very happy to be back in the national team after more than a year," Nkunku said. Griezmann has left a valuable legacy for the French team, he marked an era. I'm not here to replace him, I just want to contribute to the team and add to this huge building. Griezmann and I are different players, we don't have the same characteristics."
He further emphasized, "The coaches know me well and I try to do my best even if I am not a regular starter for the team. I have gone through very difficult phases mentally, but these experiences have made me stronger and taught me to recognize myself and develop patience and resilience."
Speaking about the team's captaincy in Mbappe's absence, Nkunku said, "So far, we haven't mentioned this topic. The team has a good atmosphere and I have not been in the national team for over a year. Mbappe is the captain of the team and in his absence the coach will decide on the captain."
Nkunku also revealed his toughest moment, "Missing the World Cup was a huge blow for me, but I have now adjusted myself and look forward to stepping out on the field again. I am recovering and with time I will gradually get back into the rhythm of the game."
On the issue of the busy schedule and players' health, Nkunku said, "The busy schedule does tend to injure players and some will be mentally fatigued as a result. At some point, we have to consider the health of the players. The skipper and the players maintain close communication and we have a lot of discussions."
Finally, Nkunku spoke about his attitude towards starting: "All players want to start and I'm no exception. I'm eager to play and eager to show what I can do. As for starting, the coach will make the best decision."
