On at least one level, it seemed like the final insult for Moussa Sissoko. The France midfielder had endured two turbulent seasons at Tottenham – with the first being the most traumatic of his career – and one of the consequences was that when his international teammates beat Croatia to lift the World Cup in Russia last July, he was on the outside looking in.

Sissoko had been in the XI at the Euro 2016 final, which France lost on home soil to Portugal, and he had also started the quarter‑final and semi-final. His power was integral to Didier Deschamps’s team. But as his fortunes went into reverse at Spurs, following his £30m transfer from Newcastle, so he slid out of the manager’s thoughts. Sissoko won his 53rd cap in the World Cup qualifier against Belarus in October 2017. It would be his last involvement in the campaign.

Laurent Koscielny missed out on the finals because of injury and the Arsenal defender sparked indignation in October when he admitted that he “wanted France to go through and, also, not to”. Sissoko makes the point that he supported the team and, as a Frenchman, he was happy when they won. But, at the same time, his absence cut him to the core and it ensured that he did not want for motivation when he returned for pre-season training.

“I won’t lie and say it wasn’t painful not to be part of the squad,” Sissoko says. “So it was extra motivation to perform and show I could be in the squad. I played a lot of games with them and then not to be in the World Cup – it was painful.

“But it’s like that. I’m not regretting. It’s gone. You have to accept the manager has made his choice. I was still behind the team because I had a lot of friends in it and, if I wasn’t in the squad, it was not because of them, it was because I didn’t do enough to be in. I was messaging with a few of the players while they were in Russia, like Blaise Matuidi, and I was very happy when they won.”

Sissoko’s drive this season has been ferocious – partly because of the national team frustration and partly because he had not shown his true level at Spurs, apart from in patches last season. He played well in the 1-1 Champions League draw at Real Madrid, when the travelling support came up with a song for him: “Wake me up, before you go-go. Who needs Bale when you’ve got Sissoko?”

It was tongue-in-cheek and appeared to sum up where they were in the relationship with him. Sissoko’s travails in his first season made him a laughing stock, a scapegoat; now he had crossed the line into cult hero territory, an unorthodox figure whose successes led to ironic and slightly disbelieving celebration.

Sissoko has crossed another line this season and it has been an uplifting story; a triumph of persistence and optimism. Now, when he leads a forward charge, picks a pass or steps away from a challenger, there is simply the sense that this is what he was signed to do. The 29-year-old has won acceptance and that most precious of commodities in football – respect.

“The fans talk to me differently now, although even when it wasn’t a great time for me, they weren’t bad with me on the street,” he says. “Now I can see they are very happy because I’m doing well.

“The best thing I have done is to be strong mentally. I never give up. In life, you never have to go with your head down. You have to look forward, try to improve, keep fighting and one day the thing will change. I never wanted to leave Spurs. I knew that I could have success here.

“I don’t know if the criticism was unfair. Football is like that. It’s why I wasn’t upset by it. I was upset because I wasn’t doing what I wanted to be doing. I had to keep working and I believe I can do better than what I am doing now.”

Sissoko was asked last month to state where he preferred to play and it was revealing that he said it was a question he had fielded throughout his career. Perhaps it is because he is difficult to categorise. Few front‑foot midfielders are as aggressive and physically imposing. For the record – like his boyhood idol, Patrick Vieira – he would choose a central, box-to-box role, rather than a wide one.

Sissoko has been afforded it more often than not of late – Mousa Dembélé’s injury has helped to open the door – and he has also benefited from being selected regularly. He was outstanding in the home win over Chelsea but there have been other notable performances, including in the Premier League victories at West Ham and Crystal Palace and the Champions League home win against Internazionale. The confidence and freedom have returned.

Next up for Sissoko and Spurs is Sunday’s visit to Everton – the club he almost joined from Newcastle. Instead, there were dramatic scenes on deadline day when Spurs matched Everton’s offer and he went to them. There has long been the feeling at Everton that they dodged an expensive bullet but Sissoko is now back in the picture for France, having played in their November fixtures, and back on the up.

Sissoko smiles when he talks about the supporters’ chant for him. News flash: he does not know his Wham! “I didn’t know this song before they were singing it for me,” Sissoko says. “It started in Madrid. My uncle was with the fans and he filmed them singing it. It was funny. I like this song so I’m happy with it.”

Sissoko’s validation has been overdue. It has enhanced the sweetness.