Here is a player who has netted 10 goals from 11 matches in the country of Catenaccio. Here is a player of whom World Cup winning coach Marcello Lippi recently said: “He does not score goals. He is the personification of goal.”
Yet, David Trezeguet does not enjoy the favour of France coach Raymond Domenech, to say the least.
‘Trezegol’, who has scored 146 goals from 237 Serie A and European matches with Juventus, 37 from 70 games with Les Bleus, is not even a second choice striker in his national team.
Everything is being built around Thierry Henry, who, let’s face it, also has a pretty good scoring record though not as impressive as his former Monaco team mate.
Why is this?
Olympique Lyon striker Karim Benzema, arguably the classiest French player since Zinedine Zidane, and Nicolas Anelka, who has improved a lot in recent years despite playing for strugglers Bolton Wanderers, are both preferred to Trezeguet. That’s understandable.
But before a must-win Euro qualifier against Lithuania last month, Domenech chose Monaco forward Frederic Piquionne ahead of Trezeguet, a proven match winner.
Olympique Marseille striker Djibril Cisse (though he does not strike that much) has also been preferred to Trezeguet.
OK, Henry netted twice against Lithuania and his class has helped France almost secure their place in next year’s Euro finals. However, Trezegol won Euro 2000 for France. Some will say he lost the World Cup final by missing his penalty kick, but having played only a handful of minutes throughout the tournament, his preparation could hardly have been worse.
Julien Pretot is a Reuters sports correspondent in Paris
PHOTO: David Trezeguet celebrates after scoringfor Juventus against Torino in their Italian Serie A at the Olympic stadium in Turin, September 30, 2007. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini
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5 comments so far
He managed to clear the stand from 7 metres out against Inter on Sunday and was generally abject.
- Posted by Mark MeadowsPerhaps Domenech judges his decision on performances like this but otherwise he is the top goalscorer here in Italy and has two hat-tricks already these term.
Trezeguet is a poacher, i believe Domenech likes players that are more mobile and flexible; i.e. Create chances as well as take them. I was, however, amazed when Domenech chose Fred ahead of Trezegol too. Infact, now that thierry is adapting a wing role again, domenech can use a 4-3-3- formation with trezegol in center and anelka/ribery and henry on wing. I dont challenge his decision to choose Anelka and Henry as he has to make choices and all three are Gifted. Infact, France is the only team that has 6 World Class strikers always at their disposal (We should’nt forget SAHA should we?) Cisse is over-rated and Govou is under-rated. Trezegol has also been unfortunate in the games where Domenech has put trust in him (like the one against argentina and scotland) which might have lead him to conclude that he does not fit his system of Football.
- Posted by Z KhanI agree with Z Khan. Trezeguet just doesn’t fit with the France team style of play. Benzema is a more complete player, even at nineteen. Ditto for Anelka.
Trez has been given at least three starting opportunities since World Cup and hasn’t done anything with them. He started Scotland last year and France lost after not scoring. Ditto Argentina, ditto Scotland this year. His only NT goals in over a year were two against Faroe Island in October 2006.
Domenech has several players at his disposal who CAN score with the team. Why would he choose one who can’t?
- Posted by Laurie[…] and his 11 goals from 14 league games this season indicate he could become just as devastating. Unfortunately for David Trezeguet (sorry, Julien), France coach Raymond Domenech’s headaches when it came to decide who to field […]
- Posted by France teenage wonders come of age - Reuters Soccer BlogRaymond Domenech is a nut, he prefers amatures to pros. Trezeguet has a better goal ratio then HENRY remarkably. Saha, Cisse clearly can’t score enough and Domenech still plays them. Benzema is a the best young striking talent for france there has been for a while and derserves to be in the squad and the team. Anekla is ok. But for Euro 08, Henry & Trezeguet for me.
- Posted by Terry