Giroud in France squad for World Cup
FRANCE coach Didier Deschamps included Raphael Varane in his World Cup squad on Wednesday despite the defender‘s recent injury problems, while 36-year-old striker Olivier Giroud was also called up.
Deschamps selected 25 of a possible 26 players for the tournament in Qatar, where France will attempt to become the first team to defend their World Cup title since Brazil in 1962.
Eleven members of the 2018 titlewinning squad return, including captain Hugo Lloris and reserve goalkeeper Steve Mandanda, along with Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann.
Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema, who has missed a series of games for Real Madrid this season because of injury, is set for his first World Cup appearance since 2014.
Benzema was frozen out of the France team for five-and-a-half years due to his role in a blackmail scandal involving a sextape and his international
teammate Mathieu Valbuena.
He was convicted for his role in that affair last year but by then he had returned to the France side, playing at Euro 2020 and in the team that won the UEFA Nations League.
Giroud is two goals away from equalling Thierry Henry’s national record of 51 but has often been overlooked since Benzema’s recall.
The former Arsenal and Chelsea forward, now with AC Milan, would become France‘s oldest outfield player at a World Cup.
“You know tonight, I made some people unhappy. I am well aware of that,” Deschamps told TF1 .
“I made 25 players happy, but they will... all want to be in the starting 11. But it won‘t be possible, but it‘s the strength of the group that will be more important.”
Full squad: Goalkeepers:
Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur/ENG), Steve Mandanda (Rennes/FRA), Alphonse Areola (West
Ham United/ENG)
Defenders: Lucas Hernandez (Bayern Munich/GER), Theo Hernandez (AC Milan/ITA), Presnel Kimpembe (Paris Saint-Germain), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool/ENG), Jules Kounde (Barcelona/ ESP), Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich/ GER), William Saliba (Arsenal/ENG), Raphael Varane (Manchester United/ ENG), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich/GER)
Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid/ESP), Youssouf Fofana (Monaco), Matteo Guendouzi (Marseille), Adrien Rabiot (Juventus/ITA), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid/ ESP), Jordan Veretout (Marseille)
Forwards: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid/ESP), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich/GER), Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona/ESP), Olivier Giroud (AC Milan/ ITA), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Kylian Mbappe (Paris SaintGermain), Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig/GER).