A huge surprise in France’s selection for Euro 2024: here is Didier Deschamps’ complete list
Against all expectations, the coach of the France team Didier Deschamps decided to select this player whom he had not played for almost two years!
Published on 05/16/2024 at 8:08 p.m.
The coach of the France team Didier Deschamps summoned a group of 25 players on Thursday to compete in Euro 2024 (June 14-July 14 in Germany) with the surprise return of N’Golo Kanté, historic executive of the Blues who is playing today in the Saudi championship, and the presence of young striker Bradley Barcola.
Striker Kingsley Coman and midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni, who have just returned from injury, also appear in the list disclosed during the 20-Hours news on TF1.
Kanté’s call-up is a huge sensation: aged 33, the 2018 world champion exiled in Al-Ittihad, in Saudi Arabia, has not appeared in the selection since June 3, 2022.
But Deschamps, faced with the uncertain state of form of Madrilenian Aurélien Tchouaméni, just back from injury, wanted to bring a player of confidence and experience, one of the great architects of the second star gleaned in Russia there is six years old.
If the coach did not want to deprive himself of an element as essential as Tchouaméni, yet uncertain with Real Madrid for the final of the Champions League, on June 1 in London against Borussia Dortmund, he took advantage of the possibility left by UEFA to establish expanded lists to incorporate Kanté, who will accompany, with Tchouaméni, the usual Antoine Griezmann, Eduardo Camavinga, Youssouf Fofana, Adrien Rabiot and Warren Zaire-Emery.
The Parisian Bradley Barcola, aged 21, has never been called up to the Blues, but had a very successful first season at PSG. He made his mark again on Wednesday with a goal and an assist in Ligue 1 in Nice (2-1).
His arrival in the French team allows Deschamps to protect his back while awaiting the complete recovery of Kingsley Coman.
The rest of the attack line of the vice-world champions, led by the superstar and captain Kylian Mbappé, conforms to logic with, in addition to Coman and Barcola, the indestructible Olivier Giroud (37 years old and record holder for the number of goals in blue — 57), Ousmane Dembélé, Marcus Thuram and Randal Kolo Muani.
In defense, the package of Lucas Hernandez, operated after a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of the left knee, brought happiness to Ferland Mendy, often neglected by Deschamps. The last of the Real Madrid player’s 9 selections dates back to September 25, 2022 in Denmark in the Nations League (2-0 defeat). The other backs chosen by the coach are consistent with logic (Jonathan Clauss, Jules Koundé, Benjamin Pavard, Dayot Upamecano, Ibrahima Konaté, William Saliba and Théo Hernandez).
Finally, in the goals, no surprises with the presence, around Mike Maignan (Milan AC), Alphonse Areola (West Ham) and Brice Samba (Lens).
The boss of the Blues now has until June 7 to send his list to UEFA and can modify it, in the event of injury or illness, until the day before the French team enters the competition. the Euro, scheduled for June 17 against Austria in Düsseldorf.
Before the start of the competition, the Blues will play two friendly preparation matches (June 5 against Luxembourg in Metz then June 9 against Canada in Bordeaux). They will arrive in Germany and return to their base camp in Paderborn on June 12.
Here is the official EDF list:
Guardians: Areola, Maignan, Samba
Defenders: Clauss, Hernandez, Konaté, Koundé, Mendy, Pavard, Saliba, Upamecano
Environments : Camavinga, Fofana, Griezmann, Kanté, Rabiot, Tchouaméni, Zaire-Emery
Attackers : Barcola, Coman, Dembélé, Giroud, Kolo Muani, Mbappé, Thuram
