Although some sections of the Reds support will raise a quizzical eyebrow at this news, France coach Didier Deschamps is set to hand Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho the captain’s armband for their upcoming friendly with Norway.
The former PSG man, who became nothing short of a national hero as his brace in the 3-0 win over the Ukraine in the second leg of their play-off secured his countries spot in this summers show-piece event. Sakho is no stranger to the responsibility that comes along with being captain, but this will still be seen as a massive test for the 24-year old on the back of a less than assured opening season with the Anfield outfit and ahead of what’s sure to be an interesting tournament for Les Bleus.
Sakho was on the peripherals of the national team before making the switch to Liverpool last summer and his work at Anfield has obviously caught the eye of Deschamps.
With regular skipper Hugo Lloris set to be rested, Deschamps confirmed that Sakho would be handed the armband in his pre-match press conference. “It’s a mix of things related to what he does on the field and what he also gives off the pitch” said the manager. “It’s something natural about him, I don’t want to restrict him, quite the opposite.”
