France vs Republic of Ireland: Dimitri Payet does not want to give up new star status, says Didier Deschamps

Star man: Dimitri Payet has shone in France
FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images
Vaishali Bhardwaj26 June 2016

France coach Didier Deschamps has revealed Dimitri Payet has responded to his new-found hero status by working even harder ahead of his nation's last-16 clash with the Republic of Ireland today.

Payet enjoyed a superb debut season in the Premier League last term, which resulted in the 29-year-old forcing his way into France's squad for Euro 2016.

The forward has since taken his call-up to Les Bleus' team for the European Championships on home soil with ease, shining in the group stages despite the likes of Antoine Griezmann and Paul Pogba going into the tournament expected to be France's star men.

Deschamps admits he has been left pleased with Payet's performances on the pitch, but revealed the West Ham man has made that possible with hard work in training.

"You give him a status, you take it away; you bring him down, you build him up," Deschamps told reporters.

"I'm very happy with what Dimitri is doing so far. He is making the difference, he's enjoying it.

"He has been praised a lot from all quarters. He's deserved it as well.

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"He started working from the beginning of this week to try and maintain his performance levels.

"There is the opposite that can happen, when you give people these certain tags and they don't necessarily live up to it, that can have consequences too.

"So I do talk to the players a great deal. But Dimitri is not a young player. He know what he has done in the past and he knows how he has got to this level. He does not want to give that up easily."

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