France manager Didier Deschamps is confident that Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery has avoided a serious injury after he was forced off the field on his debut for Les Bleus against Gibraltar.
Only two months on from making his first appearance for the Under-21s, the 17-year-old earned his first cap for Les Bleus from the first whistle in Saturday's Euro 2024 qualifier, which saw Deschamps's men annihilate their opponents 14-0.
Zaire-Emery's start saw him become France's third-youngest player of all time - as well as their youngest in 109 years - and he scored his side's third goal at the Allianz Riviera.
However, while in the process of shooting, Zaire-Emery was caught by the studs of Gibraltar defender Ethan Santos, who was given a straight red card for a horror tackle on the teenager's ankle.
Zaire-Emery immediately had to be helped off the field as France continued to blow their visitors to smithereens, and there were fears that the 2006-born protege may have sustained a severe ankle fracture.
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Speaking to TF1 straight after the game, though, Deschamps allayed fears that Zaire-Emery has broken any bones, although he believes that the PSG man did suffer a significant sprain.
Nevertheless, Deschamps hopes that Zaire-Emery will remember his historic France debut for the right reasons rather than the premature end, saying: "From the information I have, the examination is reassuring; there is no fracture, but there is a good big sprain.
"This concern is at least already put aside because it existed at the time, and when we see the act of incredible violence again. I prefer that he remembers his first selection for his first goal than for other, more negative reasons. That's what he did, but it ended sooner than expected. I hope it won't be too long for him."
Prior to his shocking challenge on Zaire-Emery, Santos had already turned the ball into his own net with three minutes gone to begin the destruction, only one moment before Marcus Thuram doubled France's advantage.
Kylian Mbappe also scored a hat-trick while Olivier Giroud and Kingsley Coman netted braces, and further strikes arrived from Youssouf Fofana, Jonathan Clauss, Ousmane Dembele and Adrien Rabiot.
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France's 14-goal battering unsurprisingly marked Les Bleus' largest-ever margin of victory, breaking a 28-year record previously held by their 10-0 win over Azerbaijan in a Euro 1996 qualifier, as well as seeing them become the first European team to score 14 goals in a qualifying game for a major tournament.
Deschamps's side boast a perfect 21 points from seven matches in qualifying Group B and have now been guaranteed a spot in Pot 1 of the Euro 2024 group-stage draw, and the France boss was particularly impressed with his side's attacking incisiveness on the right flank.
"In the preparation, we wanted to win this match in style. Either by doing it well or very well. Already at 11 players it was hard for them, but at 10 it was harder. We knew how to respect the opponent, and 14 goals is not bad," Deschamps added.
"Through the moves and combinations, I liked the right side. Usually, it's the left side that is more lively and tonight, it was the opposite. Kingsley (Coman) showed quality in possession and on crosses, Jonathan (Clauss) too."
France now have two full days to recover before travelling to Athens to meet Greece in their final qualifying fixture on Tuesday.
Ben Knapton
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