Didier Deschamps, at the headquarters of the French Football Federation, in Paris, October 5, 2023. BERTRAND GUAY / AFP
This is nothing new: Didier Deschamps is not really a man of surprises. The coach of the French men’s football team proved it again on Thursday October 5. From the headquarters of the French Football Federation (FFF) in Paris, the Bayonne player revealed the names of the 23 players who will face the Netherlands on October 13 at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam, and Scotland on October 17, at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium, in Villeneuve-d’Ascq (North).
The two meetings have very different issues. Facing the Oranjes, Kylian Mbappé’s teammates will try to validate their ticket for Euro 2024. If the Blues win, they will be officially qualified for the European Championship, which will be held in Germany from June 14 to July 14, 2024 The stakes will be lower against the British. This friendly match, organized four days later in the north of France, will surely allow Didier Deschamps to offer playing time to the usual substitutes and to test new schemes.
For these two meetings, the France team will be able to count on the return to its ranks of Jonathan Clauss and Ibrahima Konaté. The first delivers a particularly successful start to the season at Olympique de Marseille despite the tense context reigning at the club. The right back notably scored a superb goal a week ago against Ajax Amsterdam (3-3) in the Europa League. Jonathan Clauss’ last selection dates back to June 2022 and a match in the Nations League against Denmark (2-1 defeat for the French).
Ibrahima Konaté is a sure value in Didier Deschamps’ squad. Absent during the last meeting of the Blues due to a hamstring injury, the Liverpool defender will certainly find the French central hinge alongside Dayot Upamecano. Despite his good performances with OGC Nice, Jean-Clair Todibo pays the costs of this choice.
Mathys Tel closely monitored
If supporters of the French team will be able to count on regulars Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappé and Olivier Giroud, they will still have to wait for the return of N’Golo Kanté. The 2018 world champion – who has not been selected since June 2022 – has just made ten starts at Al-Ittihad, in Saudi Arabia but was not selected by Didier Deschamps.
Moussa Diaby, one of the main players in Aston Villa’s good start to the season – currently 5th in the Premier League – with two goals and three assists in seven games, is also not in the group of twenty-three. “There is a lot of competition in the offensive sector. I have list balances. If I choose other players, it’s because I think they are a little ahead of him. But last month he would have deserved to be part of this list”a explained Didier Deschamps about the one who has ten selections for the France A team.
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Mathys Tel will also have to be patient. Author of an impressive start to the season with Bayern Munich despite very limited playing time (six goals and one assist in 293 minutes), the 18-year-old striker was not called up. After his goal against Manchester United on the first day of the Champions League on September 20, the native of Sarcelles (Val-d’Oise) no longer hid his ambitions at the microphone of BeIN Sports: “The French team is in my head. I would like to spend a few minutes there, but you have to be patient, it’s important. I have to grow up and when I am called, I will be happy. » However, let him be reassured, Didier Deschamps said to himself “attentive” to profile ” interesting “ of the player.
· The complete list of twenty-three:
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola, Mike Maignan, Brice Samba.
Defenders: Jonathan Clauss, Lucas Hernandez, Théo Hernandez, Ibrahima Konaté, Jules Koundé, Benjamin Pavard, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano.
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Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga, Youssouf Fofana, Boubacar Kamara, Adrien Rabiot and Aurelien Tchouaméni.
Attackers: Kingsley Coman, Ousmane Dembélé, Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann, Randal Kolo Muani, Kylian Mbappé, Marcus Thuram.