Head coach of the France national team, Didier Deschamps, has left Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette and Manchester United forward Anthony Martial from his squad for the 2018 World Cup.
Dimitri Payet, Adrien Rabiot and Kingsley Coman have also been omitted.
Bayern Munich winger Coman is on the reserves list, along with Rabiot, Martial and Lacazette, but Payet is out entirely after the Marseille captain was injured in Thursday’s Europa League final defeat to Atletico Madrid in Lyon.
“He was a serious candidate for the list,” Deschamps said to reporters when asked about Payet as he unveiled his squad.
“He played the first half-hour of the Europa League final and his situation worsened. The average recovery time for this type of injury is three weeks to be fit. But as it is muscular, there is a significant risk of further issues. Unfortunately for Dimitri, it will not be possible.”
Steven N’Zonzi, Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez are among the surprise selections made by Deschamps.
France open their World Cup campaign against Australia on June 16, before facing Peru and Denmark in their remaining Group C fixtures.
The full squad:
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (PSG), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Steve Mandanda (Marseille);
Defenders: Lucas Hernandez (Atletico Madrid), Presnel Kimpembe (PSG), Benjamin Mendy (Manchester City), Benjamin Pavard (Stuttgart), Adil Rami (Marseille), Djibril Sidibe (Monaco), Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid);
Midfielders: N’Golo Kante (Chelsea), Blaise Matuidi (Juventus), Steven N’Zonzi (Sevilla) Paul Pogba (Manchester United), Corentin Tolisso (Bayern Munich)
Forwards: Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona), Nabil Fekir (Lyon), Olivier Giroud (Chelsea), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), Thomas Lemar (Monaco), Kylian Mbappe (PSG), Florian Thauvin (Marseille).
Reserves: Wissam Ben Yedder (Sevilla), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich) Benoit Costil (Bordeaux), Mathieu Debuchy (Saint-Etienne), Lucas Digne (Barcelona), Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal), Anthony Martial (Manchester United), Adrien Rabiot (PSG), Mamadou Sakho (Crystal Palace), Moussa Sissoko (Tottenham), Kurt Zouma (Stoke City – on loan from Chelsea).
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