Emperor of Football: Julien De Rocca

Beyond L'Équipe, the Golden Ball selection committee's own publication, France Football, was equally lavish in its praise of Julien. As the undisputed standard-bearer of French football at this moment, he had the entire French media chorus singing his name.

A true French superstar.

"Julien's form," France Football wrote, "is that of a man at the peak of his career and he hasn't yet turned twenty. How long this peak will last, no one can say. Perhaps five years. Perhaps ten. But right now, at Liverpool, he has proven himself with a League Cup title, and with performances in the Premier League shattering its scoring records in half a season—he has shown the world he belongs."

The publication went further, stating basically that Julien was France's greatest hope for ending their Ballon d'Or drought and claiming the World Cup.

"France has gone far too long without a Ballon d'Or winner. Julien is the one most likely to break that silence. This season, he has a chance to lead Liverpool to a treble including the club's first-ever Premier League title. And with the World Cup fast approaching, if he can carry France to glory, the year-end award will be his beyond question.

Deschamps himself has said in interviews that Julien will be a Ballon d'Or winner, it's only a matter of time.

'Julien is the heart of our team,' Deschamps said. 'He is the captain, and the soul. I will build our tactics around him. He is in the form of his life, and his quality justifies every ounce of trust we place in him.'

Indeed, whether in individual ability or sheer force of character, Julien is exactly the kind of core player France needs to win the World Cup."

Beyond the mainstream press, football pundits added their voices to the chorus.

The renowned French football pundit Marcel Desailly said,

"Watching De Rocca today, I see echoes of Zidane in his prime—not only as the tactical engine of the team, but as its spiritual anchor. France is fortunate to have a player like him. That he is in this form at Liverpool is the best possible news for the national side.

I believe, under his leadership, France will give everything they have on the World Cup stage and push hard for the title. And De Rocca himself has every right to chase the Ballon d'Or come December."

Outside noise, however, could not penetrate the trees of Clairefontaine.

At the national training base, the French squad shut out every distraction and threw themselves into preparations for the upcoming friendly against the Netherlands.

Time together in the national camp was always short—friendlies like this one were the most valuable rehearsal before the tournament.

For these few days, the players stripped away the clamour of the outside world and poured everything into each session, sharpening the tactics, blending the unit, readying themselves for the World Cup three months away.

The squad list for this camp was a wide one. Everyone understood that not everyone here would be on the plane to the tournament but who would be left behind? No one knew Deschamps's mind on that.

So, every man trained with everything he had, putting his best foot forward, hoping to make the cut.

Compared to previous international gatherings, this camp brought a familiar new face to Julien's side: twenty-three-year-old Griezmann.

Deschamps's most surprising call-up, Griezmann had attracted considerable attention the moment his name appeared on the list.

The young forward plying his trade at Real Sociedad had been in brilliant form this season—creative and intuitive in attack, capable of cutting inside for a shot or stretching wide to deliver a cross, and diligent enough to track back and defend. His consistent performances had driven his market value up to thirty million euros, making him one of the most exciting forward prospects in European football.

That was what had finally convinced Deschamps to bring him in.

His role, Deschamps had made clear to him, was simple: understudy to Julien. Study how Julien plays. Learn to do the same.

When Julien first spotted Griezmann on that opening day of camp, the two men had a warm catch-up—Griezmann was, after all, part of the fraternity Julien had built through "Brotherhood Football."

National team training sessions ran long, though much of that time was spent not on the pitch but around the tactics board, with Deschamps patiently and tirelessly walking his players through the system.

By the end of those sessions, the lineup for the Netherlands match was basically confirmed.

In goal, Lloris remained the unquestioned first choice with his fast hands, precise saves, and an imposing voice that organized the back line. He was the team's most reliable last man.

The back four balanced defensive solidity with attacking threat: Evra at left back, Debuchy on the right with Varane and Mangala as the central pairing.

The midfield was where Deschamps focused most of his energy—the engine room of the whole system. He deployed a double pivot, pairing Kanté with Capoue to form a near-impenetrable shield in front of the defence. Just ahead of them, Pogba and Matuidi flanked the centre on both side.

And at the attacking heart of it all, as ever, sat Julien.

Occupying the central "10" role in a 4-2-3-1—the pivot of the three behind the striker, he was both the architect of attacks and their executioner. Not that his position was inflexibly fixed; the system allowed him to drift and interchange freely.

In this era of transition for French football, Deschamps had only one true superstar and it was Julien. Ribéry came close, but only partway.

Deschamps was clear: every player's tactical movement was to be built around Julien. He was the engine of the French attack.

Up front as the lone striker, Giroud was the undisputed choice whenever fit. His tall height, his ability to hold up play, to contest headers and pin centre-backs, created the space that Julien, Pogba, and the others needed to exploit. There was simply no one to replace him in that role.

March 8th.

The eve of France's home fixture against the Netherlands.

At the pre-match tactics meeting, Deschamps drove home his message one final time: "Our philosophy is pragmatism. Counter-attacking football is our lifeblood. Do not be reckless."

He pointed to the tactics board, looking at Kanté. "N'Golo—your job is to hold the midfield. Don't rush in blindly. Focus on positioning and reading the play. Protect the back line."

Then to Capoue, "Win the ball and move it quickly. Get it to Julien's feet as fast as you can and bring our attack to life."

He paused, and a smile appeared on his face. "As for Julien—I think you know how to put the ball in the net. You have freedom in attack, but don't neglect your defensive duties—help take the load off the midfield. And remember: you're not just the attacking fulcrum. You're the captain. It's on you to hold this group together."

"Everyone else: stick strictly to the shape. Move as a unit. No freelancing with the ball, no wild shots. When we're defending, everyone gets back. When we attack, we go together."

The players nodded.

That afternoon, Deschamps held the pre-match press conference and fielded the questions his players' supporters and the journalists cared about most.

"Tomorrow, we welcome the Netherlands to our home. This is a very important friendly. With less than three months until the World Cup, this match is about blending the squad, sharpening the tactics, testing what we've built in training—getting the players into competitive rhythm, back into the national team system, as fully prepared as possible for the tournament.

The Netherlands are a formidable side. Van Persie, Sneijder—these are world-class players. Their wide play is dangerous; they love to counter-attack and break down the flanks. We've analysed them closely, and we've put specific work into our wide defending and midfield pressing."

A French journalist spoke up, "Didier, the outside world has been calling De Rocca the 'new Zidane'—the absolute core and soul of this France team. How do you assess his role right now? And with Liverpool's schedule being so congested recently, are you concerned about his fitness and injury risk? Will he start tomorrow and play the full ninety minutes?"

Deschamps gave a small nod. "Julien's role in this team needs no explanation from me. He's our captain, the focal point on the pitch, and the spiritual heartbeat of this squad. He deserves every word of praise he receives. But I won't compare him to anyone. Julien is Julien. He has his own style, his own strengths, and he lets his performances do the talking."

On the question of fitness and injury, Deschamps's expression grew more restrained.

"We monitor Julien's condition extremely closely—the coaching staff and medical team track him every single day. His form at Liverpool has been exceptional, but the schedule has been relentless, and the physical toll is factual.

That's something we've been paying close attention to throughout this international window. Tomorrow, he will play—but he won't play the full match. We'll manage his minutes based on how the game unfolds and how he's feeling. The priority is keeping him safe. We cannot afford to lose him. Not with the World Cup coming."

When a reporter raised the subject of Griezmann called up for the first time, and publicly designated as Julien's backup—Deschamps replied.

"Antoine has been outstanding. He's exceeded my expectations. He works incredibly hard, he's very focused in training, and his understanding with his teammates is growing by the day. He'll get his opportunity at the right moment."

A few more questions rose about the squad, and Deschamps answered them all in turn.

Finally, he brought the conference to a close: "Tomorrow is an important test, a crucial step in our World Cup preparations. I believe in my players. I believe they will set aside every distraction, focus on the match, execute the tactics, and give their best. Whatever the result, we will learn from it, we will improve, and we will keep building toward being as ready as possible in three months' time. Thank you all."

After the press conference, the French media erupted. Report after glowing report. French football fans submerged themselves in match-day discussion.

The next morning.

Sunlight poured over Paris. The streets around the Stade de France were already filled with people.

The matchday fever had spilled out of the stadium and into every corner of the city. Fans had poured in from across France as voices raised in songs, cheers were pouring, flags swept back and forth through the air.

And among the crowd, one group of fans stood out from the rest.

They had come from Bastia, on the island of Corsica. They had made the journey to Paris for one reason: to be there, in person, to roar for their pride—Julien.

On the plaza to the east of the Stade de France, several dozen Bastia supporters had gathered in a tight cluster. Every last one of them wore a shirt bearing the same name: Julien De Rocca.

Some wore the number 10 he had carried during his time as Bastia's star player. Others wore the more vintage number 29—the number that had been on his back when he first broke into the Bastia first team, a relic of the days when he was still becoming the man he would be.

When passing supporters glanced their way, the Bastia fans would lift their chins with pride, tap their chests, and say: "See this? That's our Julien. Our boy from Bastia."

And among themselves, they talked the way they always had at the old sunset Bar.

"I've been waiting so long for this. Ever since Julien left for Liverpool, I haven't seen him play live once. England—the weather's awful, all grey and damp, who wants to trek all the way over there for that?

But Paris—Paris is something else. The Stade de France is something else. Watching him wear the France shirt, on home soil… I can't describe it."

"I remember when he was still in the number 29—his very first sub appearance, against Valenciennes, and he scored the winner right at the death. Even then, I thought, this kid is going to be something. And here we are. Captain of France. The best young talent on the planet. And Bastia gets to claim a piece of that."

"Every morning, I open the news and it's all him. Back in Corsica, we cheer for him every single day. But today—today we brought a piece of Bastia all the way here, and we're going to make sure he hears us. Wherever he goes, whatever shirt he puts on, we're behind him. We will always be behind him."

BOOM!

BOOM! BOOM!!

A thunderclap of chanting broke out from somewhere in the crowd. Heads turned and voices joined in: "He's here—Modoso's here!"

Modoso strode forward with a massive banner held above his head, dozens of Bastia fans were trailing behind him, their voices rose in unison.

The Ultras Bastia had a way of filling any space with sound. Every eye in the vicinity swung toward them.

The other Bastia fans surged to fall in behind, folding themselves into the march.

The banner was extraordinary.

Its ground was Bastia blue. Printed across it were silhouettes, rendered with striking detail—Julien in his number 10 shirt, Bastia manager Hadzibegic alongside him, and the teammates who had stood beside him in those years: De Bruyne, Rothen, and the others. All of them shoulder to shoulder, as if the old Bastia—that unstoppable Bastia had never broken apart.

At the bottom of the banner, three gleaming golden trophies caught the eye, their names were spelled out clearly below them: the Trophée des Champions, the Ligue 1 title, the UEFA Europa League.

The trophies Julien had brought to Bastia. The legend he had made for them.

In the heart of every Bastia fan, those were memories that would never fade.

Modoso lifted the banner as high as his arms could reach, his voice rose over all the noise: "Brothers—raise our flag! Shout our name! Let Julien hear us! Let the whole world hear us! The Bastiais are here—and we always will be!"

"Julien! Julien!"

"Bastia! Bastia!"

The chants proudly rang out across the plaza cutting through everything.

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