Clement on Hugo: “To all French people, he’s a legend”
Mon 12 December 2022, 17:00|
Tottenham Hotspur
Clement Lenglet spoke of his pride after watching friend and team-mate Hugo Lloris become France’s all-time record cap, and then leading Les Bleus into the semi-finals of the World Cup.
A full international since 2008, Hugo overtook legendary defender Lilian Thuram’s record of 142 caps - a record that had stood for 14 years - when he stepped out at Qatar’s Al Bayt Stadium on Saturday evening.
A little over two hours later, the defending champions were back in the last four after a night of drama with a huge Spurs flavour as respective captains Hugo and Harry Kane - friends and regular team-mates here for eight years now - faced what must have been two mentally-draining duels from the penalty spot in the second half. Harry drilled home the first to level at 1-1, but then fired over the second with England trailing 2-1. France held on and will now face Morocco in the semi-final on Wednesday evening. Ivan Perisic’s Croatia and Cuti Romero’s Argentina are first up on Tuesday (both 7pm).
Capped 15 times by France, and speaking to us from Hotspur Way on Monday, Clement said: “I’m so proud of Hugo, it’s such a big achievement. For a long time, Lilian Thuram was the number one, now Hugo is the new number one, and reaching the number in such a big game against England, where he played very well.
“To all French people, he’s a legend because he’s a very good person, a very good professional, an amazing goalkeeper. He’s one of the best players in the history of the French national team.
“Hopefully, he’ll have two more caps at the World Cup. He can make history. It’s a long way yet, you have to think game by game, Morocco next, but as I said, it would be a big, big achievement for him."
Hugo could become the first captain to lift the famous FIFA World Cup Trophy on two occasions.
However, Morocco come first - they have been the big surprise of the tournament and are the first African team to reach the last four, having toppled Spain in the last 16 and Portugal in the quarter-finals. Their strength is at the back, where they’ve conceded just one goal in five games so far, and that was an own goal against Canada in the group stage.
“It's a big game for both teams. There are a lot of French people in Morocco, a lot of Moroccans in France, so it’s a huge game. We are happy to play an African team in the semi-final, the first time in history. I’m sure we will see a game with a lot of intensity and duels, they are very, very strong.
“I believe France have the experience, they won a difficult game against England when, during the game, it was not always easy. When you win that type of game, you are completely ready. I think France will do it, they have all the quality to do it again.”
