Didier Deschamps’ list has fallen! Of the 25 players from the France team selected for the 2022 World Cup, only 11 were part of the group mounted on the roof of the world four years earlier in Russia. Here is what becomes of the 12 missing elements.
The wounded
We find in this category two players who had every chance of being part of the group and even of leaving in the shoes of potential starters if they had not been forced to give up due to injury: the midfielders N’Golo Kante (hamstrings) and Paul Pogba (thigh injury).
The case of Corentin Tolisso is a little different. Wracked by injuries since the coronation in Russia, the midfielder has not been called up since June 2021. Returning to Lyon last summer with a view to reviving at the end of his contract with Bayern Munich, the Habs have suffered a crippling thigh injury in mid-October and has just returned to training.
Retirement
Mascot of the Blues in Russia and crowned world champion without having played a single minute, Adil Rummy announced his international retirement in stride. The 36-year-old central defender, who still plays, in Troyes, said goodbye in November 2018 against Uruguay (1-0). It will cover the 2022 edition as consultant for TF1.
The missing
We find in this category two elements completely out of favor since the World Cup for very different reasons. Firstly there is Samuel Umtiti, victim of recurring injuries since the coronation in Russia. And for good reason, the central defender explained in 2019 that he “sacrificed” his left knee by playing the World Cup until the end.
“II took a risk, because the World Cup happens every four years and you’re never sure to play it again. (…) I do not regret this choice“, he affirmed. Since then, the former rock has squatted in the infirmary and he very quickly became undesirable at FC Barcelona. Currently on loan to Lecce in Serie A, the former Lyonnais has only taken part in 4 games this season.
The career of Benjamin Mendy took a probably definitive turn in August 2021 when he was arrested by the English police. Accused of seven rapes, an attempted rape and a sexual assault, the Manchester City left-back was imprisoned for 5 months before being released on bail in January 2022. Since these revelations, his career is obviously at risk. stopping and his trial has been taking place since August at Chester Court.
Discounts
In this category, there are several elements who have not been called up for many months and who, for the most part, will find it difficult to taste the blue jersey again.
First, there are those who have been overtaken by age, like Blaise Matuidi (35), no longer called up since leaving Europe for Inter Miami in the summer of 2020. At 33, Steven N’Zonzi also seems to have said goodbye to the selection. No longer selected since November 2020, the midfielder has been playing since the summer of 2021 at Al-Rayyan… in Qatar!
Even though he is “only” 30 years old, Djibril Sidibe may also have difficulty finding the selection. Not called up since October 2019 and not spared by injuries, the right side undermined his chances by joining AEK Athens and Greece at the end of his contract in Monaco last summer. Unless there’s a return to Europe, it definitely seems over for Florian Thauvin (29 years old), not called up since June 2019 and who joined Mexico and the Tigers in the summer of 2021. The ex-Marseillais certainly celebrated his last capes in Blue in the summer of 2021 with the U23 selection during the Games Olympics…
Finally, there are two elements that are no longer popular but whose age and quality of the club frequented do not make it possible to exclude a return in the future: Thomas Lemar (26 years old, Atletico Madrid) and Nabil Fekir (29 years old, Betis Sevilla). Lemar, whose last call-up dates back to September 2021, is paying for his extended substitute status with the Colchoneros. For his part, Fekir has not been called up since September 2020 but shines quite regularly in La Liga. In his case, it is more a question of choice and competition and a possible change of coach could for example reshuffle the cards.
The 12 2018 world champions absent in 2022:
- N’Golo Kante
- Paul Pogba
- Samuel Umtiti
- Adil Rummy
- Djibril Sidibe
- Benjamin Mendy
- Corentin Tolisso
- Blaise Matuidi
- Steven N’Zonzi
- Thomas Lemar
- Nabil Fekir
- Florian Thauvin
