the favorites for the captain’s armband in the absence of Mbappé

Aurélien Tchouaméni forfeits the two matches of the French team against Israel and Italy in the League of Nations, N’Golo Kanté, Ibrahima Konaté and Jules Koundé emerge to recover the armband. The usual captain, Kylian Mbappé, is absent by decision of Didier Deschamps.

The announcement and (especially) the justifications of Didier Deschamps caused a stir: Kylian Mbappé was not called up for the next two matches of the French team in the League of Nations, against Israel then Italy on 14 and November 17, 2024. The captain, already absent in October, therefore leaves the armband available.

Aurélien Tchouaméni had inherited the role during the last gathering. But the Real Madrid midfielder is out for this international break, victim of a twisted left ankle in the Champions League on Tuesday. Three options emerge to regain the status of captain over the next two matches: N’Golo Kanté, Ibrahima Konaté and Jules Koundé. Mike Maignan seems to be starting from further away even if he remains a charismatic figure in the group.

Kanté, Konaté and Koundé expected

“You will know on Thursday or perhaps Wednesday if I decide to send the captain to a press conference, because it is not an obligation,” replied the Blues coach at a press conference. “It will not be Tchouaméni since he is injured. This will also allow, through this gathering, to make other players a little more responsible and maintain a dynamic going forward.”

The profiles of the two defenders had already been cited among the contenders for the armband last October. It was ultimately Tchouaméni who was designated by Didier Deschamps. What the two men have in common is a very good start to the club season. Ibrahima Konaté is a pillar of Liverpool’s rearguard, currently leading the Premier League. Jules Koundé has impressed since the arrival of Hansi Flick on the Barça bench, with a more offensive right-back role which allowed him to sign three assists in the Champions League in Belgrade on Wednesday evening. As for N’Golo Kanté, a player on whom Didier Deschamps relies a lot, he had already been captain in September against Belgium.