France: Didier Deschamps tries to put an end to the Betclic affair before the World Cup.

The coach of the French team, Didier Deschamps, stated on Sunday, June 7, that the tensions between several internationals and the French Football Federation (FFF) over the use of their images in a Betclic advertisement did not constitute a major disruption just four days before the departure for the World Cup. “There have always been discussions. There will always be discussions. The most important thing is the sporting aspect, that doesn’t change,” he said during his press conference at Clairefontaine.

L’Équipe revealed on Friday, June 6, that five internationals – Kylian Mbappé, Rayan Cherki, Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, and Michael Olise – contested the airing on June 4 of a Betclic advertising campaign made from footage taken during the partner day on June 2 at Clairefontaine, without believing they had consented to any advertising use by this sports betting operator. Mbappé and Cherki, both opposed to promoting sports betting, were described as “the most upset”.

Deschamps, six days before the Blues’ first match against Senegal on June 16 in Boston, sought to extinguish the controversy without denying it. On the financial aspect, he indicated that the issue of player compensation by the FFF would be handled “in the usual discussions between the players, their representatives, and the Federation”. Regarding the agreement between the FFF and Betclic, he referred the question to the federal authority, confirming that it was not a subject under his jurisdiction as a coach.

Three open files with the FFF

The Betclic matter adds to two other documented friction points between the French group and the federation. L’Équipe also reported a reduction in bonuses paid to players for this World Cup compared to previous editions, and a limitation on the number of seats allocated to relatives during matches in the competition. The three files are described by the sports daily as needing a resolution “after the World Cup”.

This is not the first time Mbappé has clashed with the FFF over image rights. In September 2022, he boycotted an official photoshoot to refuse to be associated with sponsors whose values he contested, with Betclic being among them. The FFF then committed to revising its 2010 agreement regulating the image rights of players in the national team. This commitment has not been followed by a formal modification of the contractual framework.

A last World Cup for Deschamps

The press conference on June 7 was Deschamps’ last on French soil before the competition. The coach, in position since 2012, announced in January 2025 that he would leave his post at the end of the tournament, regardless of the result. The French squad, based in Boston for the group stage, will play its first match on June 16 against Senegal. It will then face Uruguay and Mexico to complete Group I.

France defeated Ivory Coast in a preparatory match on Thursday, June 5, in Nantes. The list of 26 selected players was unveiled on May 14. Mbappé, captain despite tensions in the fall of 2024 with his club and the federation, is included in the squad. Deschamps confirmed that he was “physically fit” after concerns raised by pain in his left knee in the previous weeks.