Legendary French defender Marcel Desailly believes Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate possesses all the qualities to form a formidable partnership alongside Bayern Munich's Dayot Upamecano for Les Bleus.
The former RB Leipzig duo caught the eye as the beaten 2022 World Cup finalists brushed aside their post-Qatar-disappointment with a convincing 4-0 thrashing of the Netherlands in the first qualifying match of Euro 2024 at the Stade de France on Friday night.
The duo's commanding display came just weeks after four-time Champions League winner Raphael Varane announced his retirement from international football at the age of 29, with Konate and Upamecano now anticipated to be the face of Didier Deschamps' defence for the forthcoming major international tournaments.
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And Desailly, who was an ever-present in the France side that won the 1998 World Cup on home soil and largely considered one of the country's greatest defensive exports, considers the pair to have all the qualities of a remarkable partnership at the heart of Les Bleus' defence.
“They’re so level-headed and calm but they must improve on falling back defensively and have humility”, wrote the former Chelsea, Marseille and AC Milan defender in a column for French publication L’Equipe. "Their time is now, I’m convinced. I’m so proud when I watch them that my eyes light up!“
Konate has been a revelation since making the move to Anfield for a fee of £36m in May of 2021, with the 23-year-old since leapfrogging Joel Matip and Joe Gomez to become the undisputed first-choice partner to Virgil van Dijk. In his first season at the club, the Reds sustained an unprecedented bid for quadruple glory with the Frenchman playing a starring role in the Champions League final despite the defeat to Real Madrid.
Although his second season on Merseyside has been derailed by a string of untimely injuries, the Frenchman has still successfully established himself as one of the key components of Jurgen Klopp's side as the Reds have wrestled within themselves to find an ounce of consistency in their pursuit of Champions League qualification.
Speaking earlier this week, the defender admitted his heart set on a long and successful career with Liverpool.
"When you play for Liverpool, the question honestly is, ‘Where can I go next?’" said the defender. "And to last at this club, you have to perform. My goal is to be part of the team in the short and long-term, and of course to win all the titles."
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