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Manu Kon\u00e9 could start for France<\/a> against Iraq in Philadelphia on Monday at 23:00, a chance to push for a longer run at this World Cup<\/a>. According to L’\u00c9quipe, he would deputise for Aur\u00e9lien Tchouam\u00e9ni<\/a>, who is not injured.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Didier Deschamps held a brief one-to-one on Thursday, praising Kon\u00e9\u2019s training levels and urging him not to ease off, without confirming a start. The 25-year-old knows Tchouam\u00e9ni from youth teams and feels ready to step in.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Since his debut in September 2024, the AS Rome midfielder has climbed the pecking order, becoming a regular through autumn qualifying. With four starts in six between September and November, he could have expected to reach the World Cup<\/a> as a starter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n A right thigh injury in March ruled him out of the United States warm-up tour. He returned against C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire in Nantes, a 1-2 defeat on the fourth of June.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n To hit peak condition, he spent five days in Monaco for extra physical work, taking advantage of the Principality\u2019s mild climate, before linking up with France<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Florent Ghisolfi, who signed him for AS Rome in summer 2024 and is now Sunderland\u2019s director of football, rates his poise under pressure. He says Kon\u00e9 uses his body to escape the press, powers past challenges and brings assurance, rarely being caught in dangerous areas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n