four changes from the Euro, two Olympic vice-champions including Michael Olise in Didier Deschamps’ list

The coach of the Blues is relying on a stable group, from which Giroud, Pavard, Rabiot and Camavinga will disappear, for the next two Nations League matches on September 6 and 9.

We take more or less the same ones, and we start again. After the elimination of the French football team in the semi-finals of the last Euro, Didier Deschamps unveiled his first list of the season on Thursday, August 29, for the two upcoming Nations League matches against Italy on September 6, and Belgium on September 9. This one relies heavily on those who did not really convince during this last European Championship. The main new thing to note is that Michael Olise, dashing with the Bleuets who won silver at the Olympic Games, has been called up for the first time.

Aged 22, the striker, who arrived at Bayern Munich this summer, will discover the A team after several quality seasons in England with Crystal Palace. A very good dribbler and solid distributor (best assist provider at the Paris 2024 Olympic tournament), Olise replaces Kingsley Coman in the group of 23 called up, whom he will also replace position for position at Bayern Munich while Coman is about to leave the Bavarian club.

Offensively, Olivier Giroud, who ended his international career after the Euro, is not replaced numerically, since it is captain Kylian Mbappé who has been placed at the center of the French attack by Didier Deschamps. Attractive at the Euro as since the start of the season with PSG, Bradley Barcola is very present and could continue to see his responsibilities increase.

Among the other changes, Benjamin Pavard pays for his Euro during which he did not play a single minute and is replaced in defense by Wesley Fofana (Chelsea), who had not been called up since June 2023 (one selection) before suffering a ruptured cruciate ligament in his right knee. In midfield, Adrien Rabiot, who has still not found a club after the end of his contract with Juventus Turin, is not called up. He is replaced by another player in the spotlight during the Olympics, Borussia Mönchengladbach player Manu Koné, who could see his first selection. Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga, absent from the list, is injured (sprained internal ligament in his left knee).

The 23 selected players

Guardians: Alphonse Areola, Mike Maignan, Brice Samba

Defenders: Jonathan Clauss, Wesley Fofana, Théo Hernandez, Ibrahima Konaté, Jules Koundé, Ferland Mendy, Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba

Midfielders: Youssouf Fofana, N’Golo Kanté, Manu Koné, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Warren Zaire-Emery

Attackers: Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembélé, Antoine Griezmann, Randal Kolo Muani, Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, Marcus Thuram.