Euro 2024: Full France squad as N'Golo Kante returns and five Premier League stars snubbed
Didier Deschamps has announced France's star-studded squad for Euro 2024 in Germany, with the 2022 World Cup runners-up among the favourites to win the tournament
N'Golo Kante has made a shock return to the France squad for Euro 2024 - but five Premier League stars haven't made the cut.
Kante, 33, last appeared for Les Bleus nearly two years ago but France boss Didier Deschamps has been impressed by his displays and level of fitness with Saudi Arabian giants Al-Ittihad after signing from Chelsea last summer. The French are among the favourites to win tournament and as ever have a squad filled to the brim with talent.
Deschamps, though, hasn't used the full 26-man allocation after UEFA's recent decision to increase squad sizes by three. The 55-year-old did the same for the World Cup in 2022, which Les Bleus finished second in, as he was once again happy with just 25 players. Hosts Germany named their provisional squad on Thursday, as did the Netherlands.
Five Premier League players notably didn't make the cut for France, as in-form Crystal Palace duo Michael Olise and Jean-Philippe Mateta await their first senior call-ups. Chelsea trio Malo Gusto, Axel Disasi and Christopher Nkunku have also been left disappointed, with the latter's admission almost certainly down to a lack of game time this season.
READ MORE: Aston Villa star to miss second straight Euros after suffering another major injuryREAD MORE: Aaron Ramsdale's Euro 2024 odds after former England great backs transfer to 'save' international careerCaptained by Real Madrid -bound Kylian Mbappe, who's set to also represent his country at the Paris Olympics later this summer, France are in Group D alongside the Netherlands, in-form Austria and play-off winners Poland. Deschamps' put Kante's surprise inclusion down to the ex-Chelsea midfielder, a popular member of the French squad, getting over his injury woes.
"He played a full season albeit not in a European league, as he is in Saudi Arabia," he told TF1. "He's back to full fitness. With his experience, I'm convinced that the French team will be stronger with N'Golo Kante."
Joining Kante in Deschamps' starting midfield could be Paris Saint-Germain wonderkid Warren Zaire-Emery, who's been granted a special dispensation to sit his final school exams later this year in order to represent his country.
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"Very happy to be on the list, it's one of the best competitions to play with France and I'm very happy and proud to represent my country," Zaire-Emery also told the French TV channel. "I asked to be able to do it in September to be calm and focussed on football."
The 18-year-old midfielder is less than half the age of veteran Olivier Giroud, who's already hinted that Euro 2024 could be his final international tournament. Giroud, 37, this week completed a move to sign for Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer once his contract with AC Milan expires next month.
Gareth Southgate will name a provisional England squad next Tuesday and has until 11pm on June 7 to confirm his final selections.
Full France squad for Euro 2024
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola ( West Ham ), Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Brice Samba ( Lens )
Defenders: Jonathan Clauss ( Marseille ), Ibrahima Konate ( Liverpool ), William Saliba ( Arsenal ), Jules Kounde ( Barcelona ), Theo Hernandez (AC Milan), Ferland Mendy (Real Madrid), Benjamin Pavard ( Bayern Munich ), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)
Midfielders: N'Golo Kante (Al-Ittihad), Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), Adrien Rabiot ( Juventus ), Antoine Griezmann ( Atletico Madrid ), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid), Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain), Youssouf Fofana ( Monaco )
Forwards: Kylian Mbappe (Paris St-Germain), Bradley Barcola (Paris St-Germain), Ousmane Dembele (Paris Saint-Germain), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich), Marcus Thuram ( Inter Milan ), Randal Kolo Muani (Paris Saint-Germain), Olivier Giroud (AC Milan)
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