Former Inter midfielder Stephane Dalmat has revealed that his former Nerazzurri teammate Christian Vieri made an attempt to convince the French national team to give him a call-up.
Speaking to Milan-based newspaper Corriere della Sera, the Frenchman explained that Vieri intervened on his behalf by speaking with then-France captain Laurent Blance to recommend a call-up for him.
Dalmat was unfortunate in some respects to be at the peak of his powers at a time when the French national team had no shortage of world-class options in central areas.
The Frenchman had always shown his class during his time in a Nerazzurri shirt, but he never broke into the national team, with France having been in something of a similar situation to where they are now, with so much depth to call upon that even very talented players have to be left out.
Referring to the former Inter and AC Milan midfielder and his then-Nerazzurri teammate, Dalmat noted that “Clarence Seedorf gave me the nickname ‘Joystick’ because to him some of the way I played reminded him of a PlayStation. That was an inspiration.”
He added that “Even Christian Vieri rated me a lot, he talked to Laurent Blanc about trying to ask Zinedine Zidane and the national team selectors to give me a call-up. Unfortunately it never came though.”
