The Leipzig player, current top scorer in the Bundesliga, is suffering from a "sprain" in his left knee, the French Football Federation announced on the eve of the Blues' departure for Qatar on Wednesday morning.

The name of his replacement has not been communicated for the moment, the FFF being awaiting a return from Fifa, which must authorize him to make a change in the list of 26 Blues.

In the event of a serious injury, the regulations allow a change to be made in this list, submitted since Monday.

Even if he did not apply, a priori, for a starting place, Nkunku appeared as a luxury replacement for the France team, despite his eight selections, all known in 2022.

Crowned best player in the German championship last season, the former Parisian had just celebrated his 25th birthday on Monday at the Clairefontaine training center.

But Tuesday evening, the enthusiasm suddenly dropped after a contact with Eduardo Camavinga, during the opposition which closed the last training before the departure Wednesday morning for Doha.

Nkunku left his partners, holding his left knee, in particular, as if to test his support.

And the medical check-up was quick: "The radiological examinations taken in the evening unfortunately revealed that it was a sprain", explains the FFF.

French striker Christopher Nkunku was injured after contact with Eduardo Camavinga during training with the Blues in Clairefontaine, November 15, 2022 Bertrand GUAY AFP / Archives

It's a curse for the reigning world champions, who on Monday recorded the last minute package of Presnel Kimpembe, injured in the Achilles tendon.

Their N.2 goalkeeper, Mike Maignan, had already had to throw in the towel, hit in the calf, like the accomplice midfield duo of 2018, composed of Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kanté, also forfeited.

Back from injury, Karim Benzema has, for his part, still not completed a full session at Clairefontaine, like Raphaël Varane, touched a thigh in recent weeks and launched a race against time to be fit on November 22 against Australia, date of the entry into the running of the Blues in Qatar.

© 2022 AFP