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Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kante will not be part of the France team for their upcoming friendlies against Germany and Ireland, according to coach Didier Deschamps' squad. Lucas Hernandez, a defender, has however rejoined the team after missing several months due to a torn cruciate ligament sustained during the World Cup.
After recovering from a back injury that kept him out of action earlier this year, Arsenal defender William Saliba also rejoins the team. The 2018 World Cup champion Kante, who joined Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League in June, is not included in the lineup. The 32-year-old has only made two appearances for France since 2022 due to a string of injury problems in recent years.
Talking about Kante, Deschamps stated,"(Kante) is still eligible for selection, but at this gathering, I took the option of confirming the younger players who had already responded well to the expectations of the very highest level."
Pogba, on the other hand, is getting back in shape following a protracted injury fight. He sat on the sidelines for Juventus' Serie A debut against Udinese before coming off the bench against Bologna with 24 minutes remaining. He hasn't succeeded in persuading Deschamps to select him for the national squad, though.
“He has the mental strength and the experience, but it’s not going to happen by snapping his fingers. And if he’s back to his best, he’ll be a major contender for the France team again,” Deschamps stated about Pogba.
F rance squad for friendlies:
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (West Ham United), Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Brice Samba (Lens)
Defenders: Axel Disasi (Chelsea), Lucas Hernandez (Paris St Germain), Theo Hernandez (AC Milan), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), Benjamin Pavard (Inter Milan), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)
Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), Youssouf Fofana (Monaco), Boubacar Kamara (Aston Villa), Adrien Rabiot (Juventus), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid)
Forwards: Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich), Ousmane Dembele (Paris St Germain), Olivier Giroud (AC Milan), Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt), Kylian Mbappe (Paris St Germain), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan)
France will square off against Ireland in the Euro Qualifiers on Friday, September 8, at the Parc des Princes in Paris. Post that, they will engage against Germany, in a friendly match on September 8 at Signal Iduna Park Stadium in Germany.
