Manu Koné is no longer hiding his frustration. Speaking to Le Parisien, the France international midfielder admitted that he fully agrees with Didier Deschamps, who has considered him an underrated player for several months.
Koné continues to grow in importance for Les Bleus and could even start against Iraq in France’s second match of the 2026 World Cup. It would be a deserved reward for a discreet player who believes he has never received the recognition his performances warranted.
Koné Opens Up About Feeling Undervalued
The French midfielder believes his reserved personality has often worked against him. According to Koné, his quiet and sometimes distant demeanor led many people to overlook his qualities, despite consistent performances throughout his career.
“Yes, I think he’s right. I’ve always felt underrated. It’s probably because of my personality. When I was younger, I was very quiet, sometimes even a little cold. I often felt I didn’t receive what I deserved. At times, I even wondered if I was overestimating myself. When I suffered my knee injury at Mönchengladbach, several major clubs were interested in me. Newspapers linked me with some of the biggest clubs in Europe. Then overnight, everything disappeared,” Koné told Le Parisien.
Now 25 years old, Koné has regained his confidence and intends to use the 2026 World Cup as the perfect stage to prove his worth. Under Didier Deschamps, the French midfielder could play a key role as France pursues another world title.
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