PROFILE | Marseille’s Jonathan Clauss bounces back from World Cup non-selection setback
Let’s rewind the clocks back to November 2022: one of the major calls of Didier Deschamps’ World Cup squad selection was indeed the non-selection of Marseille full-back Jonathan Clauss (31) after a barnstorming year with Lens and subsequently OM after his €9m move in the Summer of 2022.
He was ranking in the top 2% of full-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for shot-creating actions (3.57 per 90 minutes) and the top 1% for goal-creating actions (0.60 per 90 minutes) – so it was understandable that the then 30-year-old was devastated to miss the plane to Qatar and a potential journey which saw Les Bleus reach a consecutive World Cup final. Jules Koundé, Benjamin Pavard and Axel Disasi, none of whom are right-backs by trade, were preferred.
“It left a mark, especially at the time,” said Clauss in an interview with Téléfoot after being asked what effect being left out of the World Cup squad had on him. RMC Sport even reported that Clauss wasn’t informed or called by Deschamps before the squad announcement – with a TV crew on standby to film his reaction. “Despite everything, we made it to the final, so it was a good choice by the manager at the time. I was disappointed, I’m not anymore, I bounced back and moved on to other things.” said the former RC Lens defender.
With Qatar put to the back of his mind, Clauss enjoyed a successful first season with Marseille – becoming an integral part of Igor Tudor’s boisterous high-intensity side. With Nuno Tavares serving the left side as wing-back, Clauss slotted perfectly as a wing-back on the right, thriving in a back three system which gave him plenty of opportunity to get forward and serve dangerous crosses to OM’s forwards. By the end of the 2022-2023 season the Frenchman provided a
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