The young midfielder joined Real Madrid last year but was largely forced to settle for a substitute role, although he made an impression in some important games for Los Blancos especially in the final stage of last season’s UEFA Champions League
Called up to the France squad for the 2022 World Cup, the 20-year-old’s joining was not entirely expected. But injuries to Bengolo Kante and Paul Pogba helped his cause as he earned a place in Didier Deschamps’ plans
Camavinga’s interview comes ahead of the upcoming Tunisia match, where the French team, which has already concluded qualification for the Round of 16, is expected to start. Below are excerpts from his interview
On my selection for the World Cup squad: “No, I will not say I was surprised, but I have doubts. I really didn’t know if they would choose me. But I had confidence. Of course, there were people who weren’t there and that allowed me to come back here. And when my name appeared on the list, I was so happy
On whether he’s a “luxury alternative”: “When you’re a footballer, you want to play every game. I do not want to say that it is annoying, but you have to be patient. I don’t want to have this condition for the rest of my life. You have to realize that there are many people in front of me. I must learn from them and then my time will come
On being patient: “There is a truth about Real Madrid: there are good players in front of me. I can’t say I like it because sitting on the bench isn’t fun either. You have to be patient
As for the talk that he would be better off coming off the bench: “I don’t really have an explanation. When I arrive, I don’t necessarily have time to think about what I’m going to do, I do my best to help the team. It’s true that I helped a lot last year as a substitute, and I know that
