Europe 1 with AFP 11:45 p.m., November 15, 2022

The carnage continues for the reigning world champions: France striker Christopher Nkunku, injured in training on Tuesday, withdrew from the World Cup in Qatar.

He joins the long list of injured like Paul Pogba, N'Golo Kanté, Mike Maignan and Presnel Kimpembe.

It's a blow on the eve of the departure of the Blues for Qatar.

The Leipzig player, current top scorer in the Bundesliga, was injured during the final training session at Clairefontaine before flying to the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The international suffers from a "sprain" in the left knee, announced the French Football Federation on the eve of the departure of the Blues for Qatar, Wednesday morning.

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An upcoming replacement?

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.

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Shock during an opposition

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.

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.