Eduardo Camavinga is not happy with playing a limited role for France at Euro 2024, but he will remain patient in the knowledge he will get his opportunity eventually.
Camavinga was a regular for Real Madrid as they won the Champions League and LaLiga in 2023-24, playing 2,825 minutes across 46 games, 32 of them starts.
However, he has not been able to win a place in Didier Deschamps' preferred France midfield at the Euros, with N'Golo Kante returning to the setup to play alongside Aurelien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot.
Camavinga played just 48 minutes in substitute appearances against Austria and Poland in the group stage and is not expected to force his way into the lineup for Monday's last-16 clash with Belgium.
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, the versatile 21-year-old said he was unhappy with the situation but has faith his chance will come.
"This is not a positive outcome for me. The fact that I don't play much doesn't necessarily make me happy," Camavinga said.
"I know that one day or another, my time will come. You have to be ready, like at the World Cup when the coach asked me to come on in the final.
"You have to be ready during training. Me, before matches, I do the same thing, I listen to music, I do my warm-ups.
"If my head is right, my legs will follow. A competition is not played with 11 players. The most important thing is to be focused until the end."
Camavinga also had limited gametime at the 2022 World Cup, appearing twice and starting once as France reached the final but lost on penalties to Argentina.
In that final – a thrilling 3-3 draw that featured a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick – Camavinga came on at left-back after illness struck the France camp.
He has also played in that position for his club, but he maintains central midfield is his preferred role, saying: "I still don't enjoy it, that hasn't changed.
"But I'm a team player. If I have to play full-back again, I will. But it remains a position that I do not like."
Camavinga will not come up against his Madrid team-mate Thibaut Courtois on Monday, as the goalkeeper was left out of Belgium's squad despite returning from an anterior cruciate ligament injury shortly before the end of the season.
Courtois has been frozen out since he stormed out of Domenico Tedesco's camp last year, and Camavinga says his absence will benefit Les Bleus.
"Him not playing is a good thing for us," Camavinga said. "Belgium are a great footballing nation, with great players.
"The group stage is the past for them, like for us, and I think mentally, the Belgians will be stronger. This remains a team that can surprise us at any time."
'I felt like Ronaldo' - Bellingham revels overhead-kick equaliser for England
Jude Bellingham says he "felt like Ronaldo" while scoring a stunning overhead kick to send England to extra-time against Slovakia in the round of 16 at Euro 2024.
The Three Lions looked to be heading out of the European Championships on Sunday until Bellingham scored a 95th-minute equaliser.
Harry Kane then scored the winner in the first minute of extra time, with the captain later describing Bellingham's strike as one of the best in England's history.
Bellingham has admitted that while he was in the air, he compared himself to former Real Madrid forward, Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored an iconic overhead kick for Los Blancos in the 2018 Champions League final.
"It was really instinct more than anything," Bellingham said while speaking on England's 'Diary Room' show. "It kind of fell in the perfect spot, and it was a little bit behind me.
"When I was in the air, I thought, 'I'm six feet off the ground, and it's like Ronaldo!' But I've watched it back, and I still had one hand on the ground, so it wasn't the most acrobatic.
"But it was a nice contact. Definitely one of the most important and memorable moments of my career so far."
The England performance was drawing comparisons to their early exit at the hands of Iceland at Euro 2016 until Bellingham's intervention, with his strike their first on target.
The Madrid man reflected on how close England came to an exit, but praised the team's belief for getting them over the line.
"It was an emotional rollercoaster really, and probably not the most enjoyable way that you want to win a game," he added.
"You want [to] feel comfortable and in control, but you've got to find ways to win, even if it means overhead kicks in 90 plus five minutes.
"The difference in emotion is huge – it's one minute being dead and buried, as I saw the Slovakia bench all ready to run on, and you feel a bit disheartened and a bit gutted.
“It's not the way I would've wanted it to end – I'm having a good time here with all the lads and the staff and one moment later, it all changes.
"You start believing that we could create one more chance and, luckily, we got it in."
England will play Switzerland in their quarter-final on Saturday, with the Netherlands or Turkiye awaiting in the semi-finals if they make it through.
Malta, PFJL emphasize nourishing champions with Malta ‘Kickin’ Cuisine’ Cooking Programme
One of the key components of building a successful career in any sport is a proper diet and good nutrition.
Malta and the Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL) during their recent event, "Kickin' Cuisine to Fuel Your Game," a cooking programme held at The Summit in Kingston on Saturday, June 29, made their attempt to impart this wisdom on some of the country’s young footballers.
As part of the Malta Sparks campaign, this initiative is geared towards the development of tactical, nutritional, holistic, and psychological skills of U-17 footballers from the prominent teams including Arnett Gardens, Waterhouse, Portmore United, and Harbour View under the Professional Football Jamaica Limited League's Elite Development programme.
The event highlighted Neville Bell as Malta’s new Brand Ambassador, offered sports nutrition tips from Rohan Francis, and featured interactive Malta Shake and Go as well as a meal preparation segment by Chef Asia Thomas.
The day ended with a lively dance-off and trivia competition for exciting Malta prizes.
Marta named in Brazil's Olympics squad as Elias hails 'greatest athlete of all time'
Marta will play in her sixth Olympics after she was named in Brazil's squad for the Paris Games by coach Arthur Elias, who described her as "the greatest athlete of all time".
The Selecao's all-time leading scorer with 118 goals, the 38-year-old will appear at her final tournament with her country, having announced in April she will retire from international duty at the end of the year.
Marta has already made Olympics history. In Tokyo, she became the first player - male or female - to score at five successive Games, while she was part of the side that won silver medals in 2004 and 2008.
And Elias welcomed the inclusion of the six-time FIFA World Player of the Year, who has scored four times for Orlando Pride in the NWSL this season.
"She brings a lot to the table, she's the greatest athlete of all time," he said. "She's playing well, she deserved to be on this list.
"Marta's performance, her behaviour - with or without the ball - makes all the athletes see her as an example.
"I have the challenge of finding a way of playing to maximise her game. But she knows that you can only win with everyone."
Brazil begin their campaign against Nigeria on July 25, while they will also play Japan and 2023 World Cup winners Spain in Group C.
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