France defender Ibrahima Konaté urges greater grit ahead of World Cup third‑place match

Ibrahima Konaté said France lacked the “gnaque” – the fighting spirit and aggression – that he believes is essential to counter Spain’s style and to succeed in upcoming high‑stakes games. Speaking at Clairefontaine, the Liverpool centre‑back called for a shift in intensity and highlighted the coaching staff’s focus on physical engagement.

Konaté also responded to English manager Thomas Tuchel’s remark that no player wanted to contest the World Cup third‑place match against England. He stressed the honour of representing France, the desire of many players to play, and warned that the team’s attitude will depend on the lineup chosen by Didier Deschamps, whose intentions he questioned.