One job France's Macron won't touch: national soccer coach

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron pose with France coach Didier Deschamps, and French soccer team, French Sports Minister Laura Flessel and French Football Federation President Noel Le Graet at the French national football team training center in Clairefontaine near Paris, France, June 5, 2018 prior to the national team's participation to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron oozes self-confidence, has outwitted his opponents and shrugs off public criticism, but there's one other high-pressure job even he doesn't like the look of: coach of the national soccer team.

"There are always 60 million people who believe they can do better than either," Macron quipped to journalists before lunching with the French squad at their training camp.

"That's why I'd never look to be the team coach," he laughed.

French President Emmanuel Macron shakes hands with staff members of the French national soccer team during a meeting at France's training camp in Clairefontaine, near Paris, France, June 5, 2018 prior to the national team's participation to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. Francois Mori/Pool via Reuters

The presidential visit to Clairefontaine ahead of a World Cup has become a ritual for French leaders ever since Jacques Chirac visited the squad in the run-up to the 1998 tournament.

France went on to triumph on home soil and Chirac's popularity soared - just the tonic Macron might be wishing for with his own ratings after a year in power hurting from a raft of economic and social reforms that have earned him the tag "president of the rich" among left-wing voters.

Macron, a fan of southern France's Olympique Marseille, told the young squad the nation was behind them as they head to Russia for the biggest event of the global football calendar, which opens in mid-June.

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron pose with France coach Didier Deschamps, and French soccer team, French Sports Minister Laura Flessel and French Football Federation President Noel Le Graet at the French national football team training center in Clairefontaine near Paris, France, June 5, 2018 prior to the national team's participation to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

"You're all huge stars," Macron told the players, among them Paul Pogba, Olivier Giroud and Kylian Mbappe. "The French team has shone when it is united. But when egos have emerged, when there have been rifts, it didn't work out so well."

France was humiliated in South Africa in 2010, when a meltdown in the dressing room left the team rooted to the bottom of its group and admonished by then president Nicolas Sarkozy.

Macron has defied calls from rights groups to boycott this summer's World Cup because of Moscow's involvement in Syria's civil war, and told the team he would be in the stands for the final stages of the tournament to spur them on.

French President Emmanuel Macron, speaks to the French national soccer team players, as goalkeeper Hugo Lloris (R) stands near during a meeting at France's training camp in Clairefontaine, near Paris, France, June 5, 2018 prior to the national team's participation to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. Francois Mori/Pool via Reuters

"I said I'd come to see you when you got through the quarter final. Note that I said 'when' and not 'if'," he told players, flanked by his wife Brigitte and coach Didier Deschamps.

(Reporting by Brian Love; editing by Richard Lough)

France coach Didier Deschamps, Hugo Lloris, French Sports Minister Laura Flessel and French Football Federation President Noel Le Graet wait for the arrival of French President Emmanuel Macron at the French national football team training center in Clairefontaine near Paris, France, June 5, 2018 prior to the national team's participation to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

French President Emmanuel Macron (C) and his wife, Brigitte Macron, pose for a group photo with the French national soccer team upon their arrival for lunch at France's training camp in Clairefontaine, near Paris, France, June 5, 2018 prior to the national team's participation to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. Francois Mori/Pool via Reuters

French national soccer team head coach Didier Deschamps waits for the arrival of French President Emmanuel Macron (not pictured) during a meeting at France's training camp in Clairefontaine, near Paris, France, June 5, 2018 prior to the national team's participation to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. Francois Mori/Pool via Reuters?

Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron pose with France coach Didier Deschamps, French Sports Minister Laura Flessel and French Football Federation President Noel Le Graet at the French national football team training center in Clairefontaine near Paris, France, June 5, 2018 prior to the national team's participation to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

French President Emmanuel Macron (R), acknowledges applause with French national soccer team players during a meeting at France's training camp in Clairefontaine, near Paris, France, June 5, 2018. Standing with Macron, from left to right, head coach Didier Deschamps, French minister of sport, Laura Flessel, Brigitte Macron and French Football Federation President Noel Le Graet. Francois Mori/Pool via Reuters

Macron speaks to the French national soccer team players, as goalkeeper Hugo Lloris (L), his wife, Brigitte Macron (2ndR) and head coach Didier Deschamps (R) look on during a meeting at France's training camp in Clairefontaine, near Paris, France, June 5, 2018 prior to the national team's participation to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. Francois Mori/Pool via Reuters

French national soccer goalkeeper Hugo Lloris reacts as he delivers his speech to French President Emmanuel Macron (not pictured) during a meeting at France's training camp in Clairefontaine, near Paris, France, June 5, 2018 prior to the national team's participation to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. Francois Mori/Pool via Reuters

French President Emmanuel Macron, speaks to the French national soccer team head coach Didier Deschamps as his wife, Brigitte Macron looks on during a meeting at France's training camp in Clairefontaine, near Paris, France, June 5, 2018 prior to the national team's participation to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. Francois Mori/Pool via Reuters?

Brigitte Macron, wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, shakes hands with French national soccer player Kylian Mbappe, upon her arrival with her husband for lunch at France's training camp in Clairefontaine, near Paris, France, June 5, 2018 prior to the national team's participation to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. Francois Mori/Pool via Reuters