In the corridors between Madrid and the French camp, Eduardo Camavinga has arrived at a defining point in a career that has moved quickly since his move from Rennes five years ago. Now 23, the midfielder is confronting both the expectations attached to Real Madrid and a reduced role with France after being left out of Didier Deschamps’ squad for the last World Cup.
Speaking before France’s Nations League group-stage meeting with Belgium, Camavinga admitted that missing the tournament had been painful. “It affected me,” he said. “It was a new kind of disappointment, but the key thing is to respond and get back up. Everything happened very fast from the beginning of my career, but Rome was not built in a day and I still have plenty of time ahead of me.”
His place at Madrid has been questioned amid uneven performances and a sense that his development has stalled in recent months. Camavinga accepts that greater reliability is required if he is to claim a regular starting place at the Spanish club and increase his influence in the plans of Mourinho and Zinedine Zidane.
“What I need is consistency,” he said. “There have been good matches, but I have to produce that level more often. I must stay more focused on the pitch and make fewer mistakes.”
The call from Zidane has nevertheless given the midfielder fresh encouragement. Camavinga said he is seeking trust from the French great, adding that working under him carries a special meaning in a country fully aware of Zidane’s standing in the game.
