• Group qualification could banish memories of 2010 strike
• 'We're trying to show we don't have huge egos and big heads'
Samir Nasri has spoken of his desire to change the perception of the France team and prove to the public at home that the current squad is not full of "players with huge egos and big heads".
The Manchester City forward admitted the image of the national team has taken a battering on the back of 2010 World Cup, when the entire squad went on strike before the final group game against South Africa. Nasri was overlooked by Raymond Domenech, the France coach at the time, but he is acutely aware of the outrage that the mutinous behaviour provoked and the bridges that need to be rebuilt with supporters as a result.
The former Arsenal player believes that a convincing 2-0 victory against Ukraine in Donetsk on Friday, a win that stretched France's unbeaten run to 23 matches and means they need just a draw against Sweden on Tuesday to be sure of qualification for the quarter-finals, was another step on the road to redemption.
"You know, in France the image of the national team is really bad, so we've tried for two years to work on that," Nasri said. "It's now 23 games that we're unbeaten and we're trying to show everybody something different, that we are not just like players with huge egos and big heads. We want to show that we are close to everyone and we understand the fans and everything. We want to give them pleasure and we want to do something special. We want to make it 24 games unbeaten, then 25, and see where that takes us."
Asked whether he thought France had to win Euro 2012 for the players to be forgiven for their antics in South Africa, Nasri replied: "Winning it will be difficult. We are trying to build something to be ready for the World Cup in 2014 in Brazil. But you never know what can happen in a big tournament like this. Holland were one of the favourites and they lost their opening two games, so we'll try to do something. I don't think they have forgiven us already, but we will do everything to be forgiven."
The win against Ukraine was France's first in a major tournament since the 2006 World Cup semi-final victory against Portugal. "We are pleased, but our target is the quarter-finals, so we needed to beat Ukraine," Nasri said.
"It was a good reaction, especially after the first game against England. The first game is often tough, with a little bit of stress, especially for this generation because this is the first time most of the players have played in a major tournament. So [with the Ukraine win] we are already into the era of trying to do something special."
France looked dangerous going forward against Ukraine, which Nasri attributed to the fact that the players are so familiar with one another. "I played with Karim [Benzema] and Jeremy [Menez] since we were 16 in the national team, and I also played with Franck [Ribéry] at Marseille, so we know each other well. We always try to combine together and do something special. Most of all we play for the team, not for ourselves, so that can make a difference."
There was speculation in a French newspaper that City were looking to move Nasri on but the 24-year-old insisted he was going nowhere. "Of course [I will be staying]," he said. "That's why I said something to L'Equipe, because they write something that is not true, because I spoke with Brian Marwood [City's director of football administration] and everyone at the club and they want me to stay in Manchester." Read More
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