Soccer-Gusto ready to show he deserves France starting spot

Malo Gusto, a Chelsea defender, expressed his determination to push for a place in France's World Cup lineup, despite acknowledging Jules Kounde as the first-choice right back.

Despite France's well-established pecking order, a ​sluggish first-half display in the 3-1 ​win over Senegal at the ‌World ​Cup may have offered hope to those on the fringes of Didier Deschamps' starting lineup, with defender Malo Gusto making ‌clear he intends to push for a place in the team. Malo Gusto acknowledged that Jules Kounde remained the first choice right back but said competition was fierce throughout the squad.

"We know ‌we have a squad of very high quality and competition is important," Gusto ‌told reporters on Thursday. "I know Jules starts. I came here to play, that's why I'm here. The coach makes his choices. I'll be ready whatever happens and I'll give everything for the shirt whenever I'm ⁠on the ​pitch."

The Chelsea defender ⁠said he had not yet discussed his role with Deschamps but insisted his focus was on being prepared ⁠when called upon. "Honestly, I haven't spoken to the coach yet. My role is mainly to be ​ready. I didn't start the first match, so I have to stay focused and ⁠I know that when the coach puts me on the pitch, I'll give everything and I'll make sure ⁠I ​show that I can play and that I can be in the starting 11," Gusto said.

The 23-year-old added that simply being selected for a World Cup squad ⁠was not enough to satisfy him. "My mindset is that I'm in the squad and I ⁠want to play," ⁠he said. "As a player, you want to take part. These are the competitions that drive me."

France take on Iraq in Philadelphia in ‌Group I on ‌Monday. (Writing by Julien Pretot in New York, ​editing by Ed Osmond)