place for young people, Deschamps unveils his first list of post-World Cup Blues

by time news

In his first list since the World Cup final lost against Argentina, Didier Deschamps left plenty of room for renewal. Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana, Nice midfielder Khéphren Thuram and Lensois goalkeeper Brice Samba are called up for the first time.

The list was eagerly awaited by fans of the France team. After the defeat in the World Cup final and the international retirements of Hugo Lloris, Raphaël Varane, Steve Mandanda and Karim Benzema, a new era is dawning for the France team.

Wesley Fofana (Chelsea), Khéphren Thuram (OGC Nice) and goalkeeper Brice Samba (RC Lens) received their first summons for the March rally on Thursday March 16, alongside Olivier Giroud (36), recalled by coach Didier Deschamps.

They benefit in particular from the absence of several regulars like Presnel Kimpembe, Lucas Hernandez, Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kanté, Ousmane Dembélé or even Christopher Nkunku, all diminished by physical glitches.

Despite these constraints, Deschamps has always had the concern to “prepare the medium term”, he assured the press on Thursday. We must “have answers for the future while maintaining competitiveness, because we will be in tough right away”.

The start of the qualifying campaign for Euro-2024 in Germany, against the Netherlands on March 24 in Saint-Denis and on March 27 against Ireland in Dublin, will therefore be written with three new faces, and in particular that by Brice Samba.

At 28, the Lens porter will finally enter the Château de Clairefontaine on Monday and complete an unprecedented trio with Mike Maignan, new number one in the cage deserted by Lloris, and with Alphonse Areola, a regular on the French bench.

Reputed to be explosive and reliable, especially in the game on foot, the last rampart of the best defense in Ligue 1 doubled Alban Lafont, younger (24 years old) and who “would also deserve” to be called up, according to Deschamps.

The Thuram brothers reunited

The goalkeeper passed by Evreux, Le Havre and Marseille, like the newly retired Steve Mandanda, will experience the joys of the traditional “hazing” in song which newcomers to the Blues must subject themselves to. But he will not feel alone since Wesley Fofana and Khéphren Thuram will also be entitled to it.

Coming from the Hopes (7 selections), Fofana has often come close to the big Blues but multiple injuries have delayed the deadline. His rise to power at Chelsea, which he joined last summer for more than 80 million euros, finally convinced Deschamps who has been following him for a long time.

The 24-year-old former Saint-Etienne and Leicester player invites himself into the dense competition of central defenders alongside Dayot Upamecano, Ibrahima Konaté and William Saliba.

The sides will devolve to Jules Koundé and Benjamin Pavard, on the right, while the left flank will be occupied by Theo Hernandez and Eduardo Camavinga, midfielder already used in this position by the coach during the World Cup.

The young midfielder Khéphren Thuram will for his part find his older brother Marcus in Clairefontaine, also listed among this first list of the year 2023.

The 21-year-old from Nice certainly benefits from the package of Pogba and Kanté, among others, but he was preferred to the more experienced Mattéo Guendouzi (7 sel.), less radiant than before with OM, and to other candidates like Valentin Ronnier.

Silencer on the Benzema case

The line of attack is the same as at the World Cup, with one exception: the absence of Dembélé reopens the door to Moussa Diaby (23), not selected for Qatar but in a good pass at Leverkusen. The eighth and last selection of the former Parisian dates back to June 2022.

At 36, the eternal Giroud convinced Deschamps to further extend their common history, which is more than a decade long. The top scorer in the history of the Blues, still decisive Monday against Salernitana (1-1) with AC Milan, also benefits from the absence of Benzema.

The Madrilenian may have called the coach a “clown” and a “liar”, but he did not want to put a coin in the controversy machine.

“I had to express myself to say what had happened (concerning the injury and the departure of Benzema at the World Cup, editor’s note). It’s a closed subject, behind, I’m not going to comment again whatever whatever,” cut Deschamps. “For me, the important thing is the future and the 23 you know”.

Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan, Alphonse Areola, Brice Samba

Defenders: Theo Hernandez, Jules Koundé, Benjamin Pavard, Wesley Fofana, Dayot Upamecano, Eduardo Camavinga, William Saliba, Ibrahima Konate

Midfielders: Adrien Rabiot, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Youssouf Fofana, Khéphren Thuram, Jordan Veretout

Forwards: Kylian Mbappé, Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann, Moussa Diaby, Randal Kolo Muani, Kingsley Coman, Marcus Thuram


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