Camavinga opens up on World Cup snub

Abdullateef Fowewe

Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga has spoken for the first time about the emotional impact of missing the 2026 FIFA World Cup with France, describing it as a rare setback in a career that has moved at breakneck speed.

“Missing out on the World Cup definitely got to me,” Camavinga said in an interview on Sunday.

“Everything in my life happened so fast, this kind of disappointment is new to me. The most important thing is to bounce back, Rome was not built in a day.”

The 23-year-old’s comments came during a press conference ahead of France’s UEFA Nations League fixtures, after new coach Zinedine Zidane recalled him to the national team for the first time since the summer tournament.

Camavinga was a surprise omission from Didier Deschamps’ final 26-man squad for the World Cup in North America.

The decision followed an inconsistent season at Real Madrid marked by limited starts, occasional injuries, and competition for midfield places.

Deschamps cited form and squad balance at the time, while acknowledging the player’s disappointment.

The exclusion stood in contrast to Camavinga’s rapid rise.

He broke into the Rennes first team as a teenager, moved to Real Madrid in 2021, and earned a senior France debut at 17.

He featured as a substitute in the 2022 World Cup final, which France lost on penalties to Argentina.

Under Zidane, Camavinga has already made a brief appearance against Turkey and is expected to feature further.

He has framed the call-up as a chance to prove himself again, stressing the need for greater regularity and fewer errors on the pitch.

The midfielder’s measured response has been widely noted among Real Madrid supporters, who continue to view him as a key long-term piece of the club’s midfield.