Thuram told Umtiti in a post-match encounter at Marseille's Stade Velodrome that was caught on camera by French television channel TF1. What he's doing with us is what he was doing before," France coach Didier Deschamps told journalists at Stade de France on Saturday. In the space of 10 giddy days, 22-year-old Samuel Umtiti has gone from uncapped Lyon defender to big-money Barcelona signing and likely France starter in a European Championship final. "He's sure of his ability, which is important," says France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who played with Umtiti in his final season at Lyon before joining Tottenham Hotspur. In a major show of faith, Deschamps kept Umtiti in the starting XI against Germany despite Rami's return and he produced a far more assured display that dazzled France's former defensive lynchpin Lilian Thuram.

Source: Standard Digital July 09, 2016 16:08 UTC