- Kante returns after two-year absence
- Joins Zaire-Emery and Barcola on list
- Veteran has shone in Saudi Arabia
WHAT HAPPENED?
The midfielder is part of a star-studded 25-man roster named by Les Bleus boss Didier Deschamps, headed by captain and talisman Kylian Mbappe. Kante was part of the France side which won the 2018 World Cup in Russia, although he missed the run to the 2022 final in Qatar through injury.
𝑽𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒍’𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒛, 𝒍𝒂 𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒂̀ 😍
La liste de nos 2️⃣5️⃣ Bleus retenus pour l’Euro 👊#BleuCollectif | #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/mjYTKouPRn
— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) May 16, 2024
THE BIGGER PICTURE
France’s squad features three Premier League players in West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, Arsenal centre-back William Saliba and Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate. Mbappe is joined by several PSG team-mates, including 18-year-old sensation Warren Zaire-Emery and talented winger Bradley Barcola. Elsewhere, Real Madrid have three representatives in Ferland Mendy, Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni, while veteran striker Olivier Giroud joins Antoine Griezmann and Marcus Thuram in attack.
DID YOU KNOW?
Kante has not played for France since joining Al-Ittihad last summer. However, he has impressed at the heart of the Saudi Pro League side’s midfield, scoring two goals and registering five assists in 28 top-flight appearances. He plays alongside fellow Frenchman Karim Benzema, who retired from international football after Les Bleus’ defeat to Argentina in the 2022 World Cup final.
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WHAT NEXT FOR FRANCE?
Deschamps will look to test out all his squad members in France’s warm-up friendlies against Luxembourg and Canada in early June. Les Bleus kick off their Euro 2024 campaign versus Austria on June 17, before a tricky test against the Netherlands and then a meeting with Poland.
