France coach Didier Deschamps on Thursday recalled several familiar faces for the national team’s final two World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and Azerbaijan, including 2018 world champion N’Golo Kante and 2022 World Cup finalist Randal Kolo Muani.
The squad announced by Deschamps was once again marked as much by its absentees as by its returning players, with Paris St Germain’s Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembele both ruled out through injury for a second consecutive international window.
Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, who missed out on a call-up for last month’s matches due to suspension, is also out after his club said he had sustained a left hamstring injury.
To fill the gap in midfield, Deschamps recalled Al-Ittihad’s Kante, who last played for France in November 2024 in a Nations League match against Israel, in which he captained the side.
Midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery also returns after featuring for the U-21s in October.
Kolo Muani, absent from the last two squads, was also brought back for the first time since June. The Tottenham Hotspur forward benefits from the absence of Inter Milan’s Marcus Thuram, who only made his return from injury this week.
“Once he’s fully fit again, it makes sense to bring him back.”
France, who top Group D with 10 points from four matches, host Ukraine at the Parc des Princes on Nov. 13 before visiting Azerbaijan three days later.
The team can seal qualification for the 2026 World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico with a win over Ukraine next Thursday.
— Reuters
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