France boss Didier Deschamps has unveiled his 23-man squad for the upcoming Nations League encounters with Italy and Israel, and there’s a notable absence – captain Kylian Mbappé.
Adrien Rabiot is back in the fold after impressing for Juventus, while Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier earns his first call-up.
Deschamps revealed that he had discussions with Mbappé, leading to the Real Madrid forward’s omission. “I thought about it and made this decision for this group of games. It’s better this way,” Deschamps explained.
Deschamps clarified that Mbappé wanted to join the squad, and his omission isn’t related to off-field issues. “It’s a one-off choice for this gathering, with two games ahead of us.”
France trails Italy in League A Group 2 after a 3-1 home defeat in September. Les Bleus will face Israel on November 14 and Italy on November 17.
