“This is a circus! How can Deschamps accept it?“had thundered Jérôme Rothenformer French national team player, commentator on RCM Sport and host of his own TV show “Rothen s’enflamme” “Their first concern before arriving at Clairefontaine is how they’re going to dress up.” had added Jean-Michel Larquéformer glory of AS Saint Étienne in the 1970s and TF1 in the 1990s, now also on RMC.

Read also
Jules Koundé’s look with heels, stop or stop again?

Ibrahima Konaté’s full-body balaclava (Kenzo), Marcus Thuram’s F1 driver look (Louis Vuitton from head to toe), Bradley Barcola’s denim ensemble (again Kenzo) accessorized with a little beret, and above all the heel lifts and the ephfoots, the panoply of Minion and all the ultra-griffed looks of Jules Koundé, very little for them! Les Bleus have got into the habit of breaking out their best outfits on the first day of team gatherings at the FFF’s historic headquarters in the Yvelines, before important matches. This displeases the purists, but stirs up the social networks almost as much as Fashion Week. At the beginning of October, Jules Koundé, the leader of the trend, an avowed lover of fashion and a great client of luxury goods, responded on X to these detractors: “But, gentlemen, you mustn’t get so carried away by so little. Faced with such an abundance of kindness, we no longer have a choice… Next time we gather, I promise, we’ll all turn up wearing tracksuits and studs, not forgetting a parka if it rains, Mr Larqué.”

At Clairefontaine on Monday, ahead of the matches against Israel and Italy, the defender kept his word – and, in our humble opinion, went far beyond it. In front of the ever-increasing number of photographers on hand for the occasion, the young man appeared in a (superb) vintage Adidas tracksuit jacket, but not just any jacket. Tricolored, flanked by the cockerel and the FFF logo, it was worn by French team players at Euro 92. It may not have been the best of years, as Les Bleus were eliminated in the first round, but the team had a lot of charisma. At the time, Jean-Pierre Papin, Éric Cantona, Luis Fernandez and, of course, current Les Bleus coach Didier Deschamps were on the pitch – we imagine he appreciated the nod.

For the rest, as requested by his peers, Koundé played it dark: black pants, matching (soccer) cap, large sports bag slung over his shoulder – a Louis Vuitton Keepall from the era of the late Virgil Abloh after all, and the famous stabilized cleats. Members of the FFF will recognize the Mundial from Adidas Performance, designed for indoor and synthetic soccer. We almost wish it hadn’t rained that day, to find out which parka (coach’s or Rick Owens?) the Parisian would have opted for. An impeccable look for training, but above all, a stylish response to the sports commentators who, of late, have been turning into fashion critics.

Koundé will always be Koundé, muse of the latest Jacquemus campaign and right-back for FC Barcelona, whatever Larqué and his ilk may say. In other words, a fashion enthusiast with an impressive list of achievements and 46 caps for France. The French team can’t do without him on and off the pitch.