It’s a rare event: France is hosting a major water polo event. In this case, the Kibitzenau swimming pool in Strasbourg will be bubbling until July 27 thanks to the Super final of the World League, where we can observe Serbia, reigning Olympic champion, Spain, recently crowned champion of the world, Italy, its runner-up, or Montenegro, drafted after Brazil’s withdrawal and which will therefore have the opportunity to win a fourth victory in this competition.
In 2019, the Montenegrins won the final against the Americans, the first opponents of the French, this Friday evening (8 p.m.). “It’s a team we’ve never beaten,” recalls Florian Bruzzo, the coach of the Blues. Sixth at the Budapest Worlds which ended on July 3, the United States are constantly improving, even if they have not yet repeated the Olympic silver medal obtained at the Beijing Games in 2008.
Experienced Americans
“Physically, they are strong. And they are in the process of making a success of the junction between their American culture of the duel and all the technical and tactical finesse that their Serbian coach brings to them. (Dejan Udovicic, in office since 2013)who begins to put his paw on this teamdecrypts Florian Bruzzo. They have one of the most dominant pivots in the world, Ben Hallock, who has just won the Champions League for the second time with the Italians of Recco. They also have the top scorer of the Worlds, Alex Bowen, who will play in Noisy-le-Sec next year. »
Faced with a formation that has no problem qualifying for the International Championships and other Olympic Games, only Canada possibly being able to tease it on the American continent, and which therefore benefits from enormous experience, will France have there any strengths to oppose? Without a doubt.
The best “do not come whistling” against the Blues
After all, the Blues beat Spain last February in the World League; they then lost only one goal at the end of April against Montenegro and Croatia in the European final of this World League.
“I think we are passing psychological milestones, we are desacralizing all these teams which, historically, have always passed us, promises Florian Bruzzo. We prepare and we put ourselves in condition to win these matches, which is new in the French water polo team. Afterwards, we have players who have experience, who have made the Games, who have played in the best European clubs. We have guys who have international medals, Ugo Crouzillat in particular (the captain). We have the young Thomas Vernoux who is one of the rising figures of the new international generation. It’s a mixture of experience, youth, passion. And we play at home. Let’s hope we manage to turn the pressure into a positive. »
And if it would be illusory to imagine that the France team is scary, the best nations are now looking at it differently. “They don’t come with their hands in their pockets whistling,” image the coach of the Blues, convinced that his men, if they still lack consistency, can now challenge any team.
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