Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga and Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier could not find a place in France’s World Cup squad. Les Bleus will enter the quadrennial tournament as one of the favorites after finishing second in the previous edition.
Camavinga was part of France’s squad in Qatar 2022 when the team could not cross the last hurdle against Argentina.
Coach Didier Deschamps revealed that lack of game time and injuries, led to Camavinga’s exclusion.
“He had a difficult season for him where he played less. He also had injuries,” Deschamps said. “It’s true that he’s a player who came very early with us. He is still a young player.
“Because I have choices to make the squad structure also has to be even among the defenders, the midfielders and the forwards. But I understand and I imagine his enormous disappointment this evening.”
Deschamps also revealed the reason behind Lucas Chevalier’s absence.
“The main criteria is sporting performance,” Deschamps said. “I understand that Lucas Chevalier may be disappointed, but he hasn’t played for several months anymore. At the time when he could have had some playing time, he didn’t get any.”
France have players like Kylian Mbappé, Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, rising star Désiré Doué, Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki and Maghnes Akliouche, making them the favorites for the big event.
“I have ambition, and I want the players to have it too,” said Deschamps on Thursday. “But I don’t want us to lose our humility. I’m not going to hide and say we’re not among the teams with the potential to become world champions.
“But there are eight, maybe 10 teams that can say that. It’s not by shouting: ‘We’re the best, we’re the strongest.’”
France World Cup squad:
Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan, Brice Samba, Robin Risser.
Defenders: Lucas Digne, Malo Gusto, Lucas Hernández, Theo Hernández, Ibrahima Konaté, Jules Koundé, Maxence Lacroix, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano.
Midfielders: N’Golo Kanté, Manu Koné, Adrien Rabiot, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Warren Zaïre-Emery.
Forwards: Maghnes Akliouche, Bradley Barcola, Rayan Cherki, Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, Marcus Thuram.
