Liverpool have a fresh reason to watch France closely this week. Jeremy Jacquet earned some of the best reviews of his short international career. The Jeremy Jacquet France Italy headlines kept coming through French and Italian media on Friday morning, after a tough Nations League test against a seasoned Italy side.
According to the Liverpool Echo report, Jacquet played the full 90 minutes. France drew 1-1 with Italy at the Stade de France. Michael Olise put France ahead, and Alessandro Bastoni equalised for the visitors. The game was only the young defender’s second senior cap.
France’s 1-1 draw with Italy reveals the performance behind the praise
Jacquet arrived at Liverpool from Stade Rennais in the summer, for what the Liverpool Echo described as a big fee. He has quickly become part of France’s new generation of defenders. His first cap came against Belgium, and the trip to the Stade de France was a tougher test against a more experienced Italian attack.
He lasted the full 90 minutes. That stood out, given how little senior experience he carries. Jacquet helped France keep Italy to a single goal. Olise’s opener gave the hosts a lead, and Bastoni’s equaliser cancelled it out.
The result finished level. For reporters covering the game, the scoreline mattered less than how calmly Jacquet dealt with Italy’s forward line. We covered a similar theme in our report on Alisson’s praise for the defender’s form at club level, and this France performance only added weight to it.
The ratings show why French and Italian outlets highlighted Jacquet
L’Equipe gave Jacquet a 7 out of 10, according to the Liverpool Echo. That score was joint highest among the French players on the pitch. Get French Football News matched that mark and praised his maturity, a word rarely used for a defender with only two caps.
“Les Bleus could always rely on Jacquet to snuff out the danger,” Get French Football News wrote. “The Liverpool centre-back looks very much at ease in France’s back-line.”
Eurosport France went further still. The outlet rated him 7.5 out of 10 and described his performance as monstrous, according to the Liverpool Echo. It said it was extremely rare to see a central defender perform at this level so early in his career.
“It’s extremely rare to see a central defender at this level after just two caps. Jacquet played like a true leader, relentlessly pressing the Italians right up to their own penalty area,” Eurosport France said.
Maxifoot was just as impressed, according to the Liverpool Echo.
“What a performance! Already excellent against Belgium, the centre-back displayed impressive composure once again,” Maxifoot wrote. “Powerful, clean, and authoritative, the Liverpool player continues to impress.”
Even in Italy, where attention might have drifted elsewhere, Corriere dello Sport gave Jacquet a 7 out of 10 and called it a “gigantic match,” according to the Liverpool Echo. The Jeremy Jacquet France Italy ratings lined up closely across two rival football nations. That consistency says plenty about the display itself.
What this means for Liverpool, and why the debate is only just starting
Liverpool have shown plenty of interest in French talent in recent windows. That pattern shows up in the French midfield link and the Camavinga pursuit covered on this site. Jacquet’s rise gives the recruitment staff another reason to keep watching how France’s pathway for young defenders develops.
Liverpool already assess young centre-backs closely. One of their young players has just drawn praise from five separate outlets across two countries, and that is not something to brush aside. It does not confirm transfer value or a future starting role. It does confirm attention.
He remains only two caps into his France career. The speed of the reaction shows how quickly a reputation can shift after one big performance. Liverpool will have noticed. The conversation about what their young centre-back can become has only just started.
