Paris: Marseille star Dimitri Payet was left out of France’s World Cup squad announced by coach Didier Deschamps, completing a miserable 24 hours for the playmaker.
The former West Ham United player was forced off with a hamstring injury in the first half of Marseille’s Europa League final defeat against Atletico Madrid Wednesday, and that fitness doubt persuaded Deschamps to leave him out of the 23-member final squad.
“Dimitri Payet was a serious candidate for a place in the squad. He played the first half-hour (against Atletico), but he aggravated his injury, and the recovery time needed for that type of injury is three weeks,” Deschamps informed. “But as it is a muscle injury, there is a risk of a relapse.”
Elsewhere, Manchester City left-back Benjamin Mendy was called up despite having hardly featured for Pep Guardiola’s side since returning from a serious knee injury. Antoine Griezmann will lead the attack, fresh from scoring twice for Atletico in the Europa League final.
Key names such as goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba, Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud and young Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe all were obvious choices for Deschamps.
“I dreamed of participating in this World Cup like all the children who will watch this World Cup,” said the 19-year-old Mbappe. “But now it’s a reality and I will work during training to be the best performer possible to help the team.”
However, Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette has to settle for a place as one of 11 players on a standby list, who could be called up in the event of injuries. Another player to miss out was Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny, who ruptured an Achilles tendon playing against Atletico in the Europa League semi-finals.
France are in Group C alongside Australia, Denmark and Peru and will open their campaign June 16 against the Kangaroos.
The squad: (Goalkeepers): Hugo Lloris, Steve Mandanda, Alphonse Areola; (Defenders): Lucas Hernandez, Presnel Kimpembe, Benjamin Mendy, Benjamin Pavard, Adil Rami, Djibril Sidibe, Samuel Umtiti, Raphael Varane; (Midfielders): N’Golo Kante, Blaise Matuidi, Steven N’Zonzi, Paul Pogba, Corentin Tolisso; (Forwards): Ousmane Dembele, Nabil Fekir, Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann, Thomas Lemar, Kylian Mbappe, Florian Thauvin.
