Didier Deschamps has called up a stabilized group for the final stage of the season and the penultimate before the World Cup in Qatar (November 21 - December 18), where the Blues will defend their title.

Kamara is the only newcomer there.

Benzema and Benjamin Pavard, forced to forfeit during the previous meeting, are part of the slightly expanded list of 24 players (compared to the usual 23) called up for the four League of Nations matches scheduled from June 3 to 13 against Austria, the Denmark and Croatia, twice.

This time, it's Pogba's turn to ignore.

The Manchester United midfielder, 29, is recovering from a calf injury that occurred exactly a month ago.

He has not been able to play a single game since.

Kamara, a "very special register"

Kamara takes advantage of the situation with a first convocation, at 22 years old.

Courted according to the press by Senegal, the country of his father, the defensive midfielder of OM, passed by all the French selections among young people, could know his first cape six months from the World Cup-2022 in Qatar.

"He is there because of what he achieves with his club, in a very particular register, even if it is linked to the absence of players and the injury of Paul who is in the recovery phase and who will not have played matches for seven weeks," commented Deschamps on Thursday.

The Marseillais is expected in Clairefontaine on May 28 for the start of the rally, the same day as the Champions League final disputed by Benzema with Real Madrid against Liverpool.

This busy gathering, with four matches in eleven days including trips to Croatia and Austria, almost serves as preparation for the World Cup since the next one, in September, will only have two matches on the menu and will be the last before joining Doha.

In this perspective, the non-selection of Giroud promises to be widely commented.

His good pass at AC Milan, with 12 goals and a scudetto in sight, will not have allowed the 35-year-old striker to chain a second rally in a row.

The "Grenoble Phoenix", as his friends call him, has not said goodbye to the World Cup-2022 but his chances of participating are dwindling.

In March, the second top scorer in Les Bleus history made his way to Clairefontaine due to Benzema's package.

Deschamps had not ruled out a future cohabitation between the two men, but he had highlighted the difficulty for a player of Giroud's status to be confined to a position of understudy in the selection.

Olivier Giroud, the French striker of AC Milan, celebrates his team's 2-0 victory against Atalanta Bergamo, in Milan, on May 15, 2022 MIGUEL MEDINA AFP / Archives

"The possibility of toughening up"

Thursday, the boss of the Blues justified his choice by the desire "to offer other attacking players, who have had less playing time, the possibility of hardening up".

He notably cited Leipzig's chief scorer, Christopher Nkunku, new called up in March and again selected like Moussa Diaby, Wissam Ben Yedder, Kingsley Coman, Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappé, who promised to lift the veil on his future by club before the rally.

Left winger Ousmane Dembélé, performing well with FC Barcelona, ​​remains on the sidelines of the Blues, whom he left in June due to injury during the Euro.

Deschamps said Thursday he doubted he could "use it in our current system as a piston".

Apart from Kamara, the midfielder has not seen any change: N'Golo Kanté and Adrien Rabiot will supervise the less experienced Mattéo Guendouzi and Aurélien Tchouaméni.

In defense, the Marseillais William Saliba and the Lensois Jonathan Clauss will be able to thicken their international CV a little more, two months after a successful baptism.

"There are young people who grow in all positions, it allows the oldest not to fall asleep too", summed up Deschamps.

Goalkeeper Mike Maignan (l.) chats with midfielder Matteo Guendouzi (d.), before a French team training session in Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines near Paris, March 27, 2022 FRANCK FIFE AFP/Archives

Among the goalkeepers, the March trio is renewed with Mike Maignan (N.2) and Alphonse Areola (N.3) behind captain Hugo Lloris.

© 2022 AFP