PARIS: France captain Kylian Mbappe has been left out of his team’s UEFA Nations League matches this month after coach Didier Deschamps on Thursday named his squad.
The Real Madrid star returned from a short spell on the sidelines, with a thigh injury, to appear as a substitute in the surprise 1-0 defeat at Lille in the Champions League.
However, the 25-year-old will play no part in France’s games against Israel and Belgium, a decision clearly made in order to allow Mbappe to rest and work on his fitness.
“I had an exchange with Kylian. He has a problem which is not serious. I am not going to take risks, which is why he is not in the squad,” Deschamps told reporters in Paris.
France play Israel on Thursday, Oct 10 in an away fixture moved to Budapest due to the security situation in the Middle East.
Les Bleus, Nations League winners in 2021, will then take on Belgium in Brussels on Monday, Oct 14.
France have three points after their first two outings in Group A2, which is topped by Italy with six points.
Thursday’s squad announcement was the first by Deschamps since vice-captain Antoine Griezmann retired from international football at the beginning of this week.
“He had such an impact that we can’t play in the same way,” Deschamps said of losing Griezmann, who quit aged 33 after winning 137 caps.
“I am not necessarily going to change the system, but I am not going to look for an equivalent player.”
Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku, who won the last of his 10 caps in June last year, returns to the squad, from which midfielder N’Golo Kante is also left out.
Squad: Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola, Mike Maignan, Brice Samba; Defenders: Jonathan Clauss, Lucas Digne, Wesley Fofana, Theo Hernandez, Ibrahima Konate, Jules Kounde, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano; Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga, Youssouf Fofana, Matteo Guendouzi, Manu Kone, Aurelien Tchouameni, Warren Zaire-Emery; Forwards: Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembele, Randal Kolo Muani, Christopher Nkunku, Michael Olise, Marcus Thuram.
Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2024