​Get French Football spoke with former Republic of Ireland defender Richard Dunne to discuss several French-related World Cup storylines that have caught his eye, from the Paraguayan gamesmanship France faced last week to the impression made by AS Monaco forward Folarin Balogun. From a French perspective, Dunne is forever linked to Thierry Henry’s handball. He has previously said his quarrel isn’t with Henry so much as with the referee who failed to spot it. I spoke with him to hear his thoughts on Paraguay’s performance and attitude against France. Did Paraguay go too far, or was it a case of them getting away with what they did due to a weak officiating display? Dunne suggested that Paraguay aren’t on the same level as France and needed to disrupt their rhythm in order to mount a threat. “The French are the best side in the competition, so you have to find a way to put them off their game to try to gain an advantage,” he said. “Paraguay went physical at times, but ultimately France had too much for them. It’s down to the referee to control the players and manage the game.”
As a former centre back, Dunne’s assessment carries weight. He was asked how highly he rates William Saliba’s and Dayot Upamecano’s performances so far and which other defenses have impressed him. He praised both French centre backs as top defenders, noting Saliba’s consistency in the Premier League and Upamecano’s defensive solidity coupled with ball-playing abilities. He also highlighted Spain, observing that their defence has also been impressive, with their centre backs showing similar capabilities to France in terms of defending and distributing the ball.
Turning to Cherki, Dunne acknowledged his connections with Manchester City and his familiarity with Rayan Cherki, who has featured in every match but hasn’t yet made a decisive impact. Can he count himself unlucky not to have started, and could he still influence France’s campaign? Dunne emphasized the squad-based nature of international football, pointing out that the first XI is currently performing well, as reflected in France’s results. Nevertheless, he believes Cherki is a top player who could be particularly valuable later in matches when defenses are fatigued.
Dunne also spoke about his ties to Monaco, living in Monte Carlo, and offered his thoughts on AS Monaco striker Balogun. He has been impressed with Balogun’s goal-scoring form for the USA and his discipline off the pitch, notably during the controversial decision to allow him to play against Belgium, which Dunne stressed was about external interference rather than Balogun personally. Balogun’s World Cup goals would likely have caught the attention of Premier League clubs, and Dunne agreed that a move to England could see him find success there.
Richard Dunne’s remarks were given exclusively to Get French Football, reflecting his insights on France’s World Cup journey, its rivals, and Balogun’s prospects at the highest level.