Hugo Lloris says his World Cup triumph with France will have a positive effect on Tottenham Hotspur as the club prepares for a “special season” ahead.
The French captain, who also wears the armband for the Premier League side, lifted football's greatest prize on Sunday, when France defeated Croatia 4-2 in the showpiece event in Moscow.
Lloris plans now for some rest following four weeks of action with his national team in Russia, and said he was not sure exactly when he would join up with the Tottenham squad for pre-season. Spurs travel to the United States later this week for the International Champions Cup.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side will target another tilt at the Premier League title after finishing in the top three for the past three seasons. A criticism often levelled at Tottenham is that they are yet to win anything with the Argentine in charge – their last trophy was the League Cup in 2008.
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The pressure will thus again be on Pochettino and his men to deliver some silverware once the next campaign kicks off next month, especially with a new, 62,000-seater stadium slated to open in September.
However, Lloris believes a successful World Cup not just for him, but for a number of his club teammates – Spurs had nine players represented in the semi-finals in Russia – can help develop a stronger mentality at Tottenham.
"This energy will be positive, for me and for my teammates," Lloris told The National. "This is what I'm going to bring into the changing room in Tottenham.
“I think England made a great World Cup too, Belgium too. We had a lot of players who were involved in the semi-final and hopefully it will help us to bring us to another step. Because this is what we need. We know it’s a special season because the new stadium will be delivered. But I think I need a bit of rest first.”
Lloris joined Tottenham in 2012 from Ligue 1 side Lyon. The goalkeeper, 31, has been an integral member of the team’s rise since Pochettino’s arrival in 2014, as the Argentine has fostered a deep collective spirit at the club.
That was evident at the World Cup, with Lloris in constant communication with his Tottenham teammates throughout. In all, Spurs had 19 players who featured at the tournament, including five with semi-finalists England and three with bronze medalists Belgium.
“Yeah, we were in touch all of the tournament,” Lloris said. “I’m really grateful towards them, and really grateful towards Mauricio Pochettino and his staff because they we were in touch with me all of the tournament as well.
“Because they helped me a lot the past four years, individually to be at this at this level. There are a lot of people who help you during your career. When you win a World Cup it’s normal that you think about them, because they help you to reach this level.”
Tottenham are set to leave for Los Angeles on Saturday. They will play Roma (July 25), Barcelona (July 28) and AC Milan (July 31) before concluding their pre-season schedule with a friendly against Girona in Italy on August 4. They kick off the 2018/19 Premier League season seven days later away to Newcastle United.
