‚I almost passed out!‘ – Ibrahima Konate reveals frustration at France role
Ibrahima Konate has let his frustration with his limited role for France at Euro 2024 be known, revealing that he pushed himself to the brink of exhaustion in order to get fit for the tournament.
Konate is yet to play a single minute for Les Bleus this summer with the 25-year-old notably remaining an unused substitute in all three of France’s group stage matches. He did not feature in Liverpool’s final four fixtures of the 2023/24 season either, having missed multiple matches earlier in the campaign due to an injury.
That shortage of game-time made it particularly tough for Konate to reach his peak physical condition for the Euros. However, he recently disclosed that he embarked on a rigorous training regimen, recounting moments where he felt on the verge of passing out multiple times in his quest to improve his fitness.
Speaking to reporters in Germany this week prior to to France’s clash with Belgium in Euro 2024’s last 16, Konate said: „I came with a lot of expectations, that’s part of football.
„I knew what my place was before the first match. It’s frustrating but I know my role on and off the field. A 100% ‚Ibou‘ would never have sat on the bench.
„I didn’t play for a month and a half. But I prepared, and I almost passed out more than once. The preparation was very short. It’s part of football. It was a good lesson for me.“
Should France emerge victorious on Monday, they will take on either Portugal or Slovenia in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024.