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6 months ago
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Didier Deschamps has called up Arsenal star defender William Saliba, Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate, and West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola as part of his France squad for June's European Championships in Germany.
But the surprise entrant is former Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante, who returns to international duties two years after receiving his last call-up in June 2022.
After leaving Stamford Bridge last summer, Kante has been featuring in Saudi Arabia for Pro League side Al-Ittihad, where he has managed to steer clear of the persistent injuries which pockmarked his final two seasons in west London.
Kylian Mbappe will lead the side this summer after moving on from his seven-year stint at Paris Saint-Germain this week.
A number of his former team-mates will be joining him in Germany, including 21-year-old Bradley Barcola, who is Deschamps' sole debutant in the experienced side.
France's Europ 2024 squad: in full
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (West Ham), Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Brice Samba (Lens)
Defenders: Jonathan Clauss (Marseille), Theo Hernandez (AC Milan), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), Ferland Mendy (Real Madrid), Benjamin Pavard (Inter Milan), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)
Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), Youssouf Fofana (Monaco), Antoine Griezman (Atlético de Madrid), N’Golo Kanté (Al-Nassr), Adrien Rabiot (Juventus), Aurélien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid), Warren Zaïre-Emery (PSG)
Forwards: Bradley Barcola (PSG), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich), Ousmane Dembele (PSG), Olivier Giroud (AC Milan), Randal Kolo Muani (PSG), Kylian Mbappe (PSG), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan)
The youngest player, however, is 18-year-old Warren Zaire-Emery, who received his first call-up in November last year for France's European qualifiers against Gibraltar and Greece.
Rounding out the players from the Ligue 1 championship-winning side are Ousmane Dembele and Randal Kolo Muani.
Squad veteran and France's record goalscorer Olivier Giroud will likely make his international swansong at this summer's tournament at the age of 37, a week after his upcoming move from AC Milan to Los Angeles FC was announced.
France last won a European Championship in 2000, and were knocked out in the round of 16 three years ago after defeat to Switzerland on penalties at the National Arena in Bucharest.
This summer's contest will mark the first time Mbappe will sport the captain's armband at a major tournament, after he was awarded the honour in March 2023 following the retirement of Hugo Lloris.
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