Bayern duo in the contingent
© Imago
The former Mainz Jean-Philippe Mateta was first nominated for the French national team at the age of 28. The Crystal Palace center forward so far played four goals in ten games this season. The Équipe Tricolore will deal with Azerbaijan in the World Cup qualification on October 10, a duel with Iceland follows three days later.
National coach Didier Deschamps justified the appointment of Matas with his profile. “He has the ability to score goals. But of course it is also related to Marcus Thuram’s absence. Mateta has performed well, especially at the Olympic Games. He has been on my pre -selection list for some time, together with about fifty other players,” Deschamps is quoted from “RMC Sport”. Mateta won silver with the French team last year at the Olympic Games in Paris and contributed five goals. In addition to Thuram, Désiré Doué, Ballon-d’Or-Sieger Ousmane Dembélé and Rayan Cherki also fail in the attack.
After eleven months without use for France, the ex-Leipzig Christopher Nkunku gives his comeback. In the meantime, Florian Thauvin, who was previously traded as a returnee, was not taken into account. The attacker from RC Lens has been running ten times for Les Bleus, and he was also part of the team who won the World Cup title in 2018. Most recently, Thauvin received an invitation in 2019.
“I also have to explain myself because of the absences? I am here to make decisions. He has returned to France, so that he is certainly seen a little more than with Udinese, where he did good things. It is good that he had a good start to the season. He is predicted, he is one of those who can be part of this French team,” explained Deschamps, who was open to Thauvin.
The Bayern duo Dayot Upamecano and Michael Olise are part of the Bundesliga. In addition, the ex-Munich Kingsley Coman and former Frankfurt Hugo Ekitiké were nominated, which both left Germany in summer.