No Benzema as Deschamps calls up Dembélé and Madrid’s Camavinga and Mendy
Barcelona’s Dembélé and Real Madrid’s Camavinga and Mendy are three of the new additions to the squad announced Thursday by France coach Didier Deschamps for the next two Nations League matches.
France head coach Didier Deschamps has confirmed his squad for the two Nations League matches, at home to Austria (22) and away to Denmark (25) which also includes Atletico’s Antoine Griezmann, Real Madrid’s Aurélien Tchouaméni and Barcelona’s Jules Koundé.
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) is absent through injury, as are other mainstays of the national team, Lucas Hernandez and N’Golo Kanté. Veteran Olivier Giroud returns to the squad, his last before the World Cup in Qatar.
Regarding Griezmann, Deschamps was flippant about the 30 minutes he plays every game due to contractual interests from Atletico Madrid and said that “at least he’s not tired, you have to look at the positive things”.
“Despite the playing time he is still an important and decisive player, of course he aspires to more, to have a better athletic condition. Today he played 30 minutes, it’s been a long time since he played 90 minutes,” the coach noted.
Two Monaco players, centre-back Benoît Badiashile and midfielder Youssouf Fofana, and Eintracht Frankfurt striker Kolo Muani are making their debuts in the squad.
“He has an attacking profile, with presence, the ability to play deep and a lot of quality,” Deschamps told reporters of the latter player.
Ousmane Dembélé, the best assist man in La Liga last season, returns to Les Bleus after his muscle injury in 2021, which ruled him out of the Euros, while Camavinga returns to the squad after two years, when he had made his debut for the national team, for which he has three appearances. Also two years later, Ferland Mendy returns to the squad.
France, world champions in 2018 and 1998, are bottom of Nations League Group A with just two points, behind Denmark, Croatia and Austria, so they need to pick up points to have a chance of retaining the tournament of which they are also reigning champions.
France call-up list:
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (West Ham/ING), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham/ENG), Mike Maignan (Milan/ITA).
Defenders: Jonathan Clauss (Marseille/FRA), F. Mendy (Real Madrid/SPA), Theo Hernandez (Milan/ITA), Benoît Badiashile (Monaco/FRA), Jules Koundé (Barcelona/SPA), Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich/GER), Upamecano (Bayern Munich/GER), William Saliba (Arsenal/IENG), Raphaël Varane (Manchester United/ENG).
Midfielders: Mattéo Guendouzi (Marseille/FRA), Youssouf Fofana (Monaco/FRA), Adrien Rabiot (Juventus/ITA), Aurélien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid/SPA) and Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid/SPA).
Strikers: Ousmane Dembélé (Barcelona/SPA), Olivier Giroud (Milan/ITA), Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER), Antoine Griezmann (Atlético Madrid/SPA), Kylian Mbappé (Paris SG/FRA), Christopher Nkunku (Leipzig/GER).