France national team has announced its squad for the upcoming 2024 UEFA Euro qualifiers
N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba have been left out of France’s team for this month’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Ireland and friendly against Germany.
Hernandez missed several months last season due to a cruciate ligament rupture suffered at the World Cup, but he has played three Ligue 1 games for Paris St Germain since joining the French champions in July.
Arsenal defender William Saliba returns to the squad after recuperating from a back ailment that sidelined him earlier this season.
Kante, a 2018 World Cup winner who joined Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League in June, has been left out of the squad. The 32-year-old has struggled with injuries in recent years, earning only two appearances for France since 2022.
“He’s played again, he’s played a few games in a row, not all of them full games, with a good level of league, even if the temperatures are high, which isn’t ideal,” France coach Didier Deschamps told reporters.
“He’s just come off a year out. I felt he needed to keep going and the players who were there during his absence lived up to my expectations.
“(Kante) is still eligible for selection, but at this gathering, I took the option of confirming the younger players who had already responded well to the expectations of the very highest level.”
Pogba has made one substitute appearance for Juventus this season after knee surgery and muscle issues limited him to only 161 minutes last season, with Deschamps expressing confidence in the midfielder’s potential to “return to his best level.”
“He has the mental strength and the experience, but it’s not going to happen by snapping his fingers. And if he’s back to his best, he’ll be a major contender for the France team again,” Deschamps added.
France, which leads Group B, welcomes Ireland at Parc des Princes on September 7 before traveling to Germany on September 12.
France Squad (2024 Euro Qualifiers)
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (West Ham United), Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Brice Samba (Lens)
Defenders: Axel Disasi (Chelsea), Lucas Hernandez (Paris St Germain), Theo Hernandez (AC Milan), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), Benjamin Pavard (Inter Milan), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)
Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), Youssouf Fofana (Monaco), Boubacar Kamara (Aston Villa), Adrien Rabiot (Juventus), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid)
Forwards: Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich), Ousmane Dembele (Paris St Germain), Olivier Giroud (AC Milan), Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt), Kylian Mbappe (Paris St Germain), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan)
