France team: what is Didier Deschamps' likely list for the next matches?

Cyrille de la Morinerie, edited by Laura Laplaud 08h08, March 16, 2023

It is a new era that opens in Blue. After the departures of Raphaël Varane, goalkeepers Hugo Lloris and Steve Mandanda, and Karim Benzema, Didier Deschamps will have to entrust new responsibilities to some players. He will announce at 14 p.m. this Thursday his list for the next two matches of the France team, against the Netherlands on March 24 and against Ireland on March 27. Two qualifying matches for Euro 2024 to follow live in Europe 1 Sport.

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Kylian Mbappé, new captain of Les Bleus?

Didier Deschamps will be able to rely on a handful of executives who won the World Cup in 2018 such as Benjamin Pavard, Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud who, according to information from Europe 1, will be retained. Kylian Mbappé, the nugget of the France team, will also be on the field and could even inherit the armband, worn 121 times by former captain Hugo Lloris.

At only 24 years old, Kylian Mbappé could logically become the 129th captain in the history of the Blues. The star striker of the blues, with 66 selections on the clock, behaves like a leader. He showed it well during the final of the World Cup in Qatar by sounding the revolt at half-time during a mobilizing speech. He also held this role at Paris Saint-Germain, when Marquinhos was out on injury in the knockout stages of the Champions League.

But our consultant Laurent Fournier is doubtful. The former international, ex-captain at Lyon, is not sure that Kylian MBappé is cut out for this role: "Everything he does on the pitch is performance, it's great. Managing his teammates is much more complicated, is he capable of it? I don't know. The great captains like Platini and Deschamps had this sense of the collective, he will have to force himself."

>> READ ALSO – Team of France: with the announcement of his list for Euro 2024, Didier Deschamps launches the after World Cup

According to Laurent Fournier, other internationals can play this role. "It will take a dressing room leader. Giroud or Griezmann, I don't think they will have the armband. Maybe players in defense? We must turn the page on Hugo Lloris. Taking care of others sometimes is complicated. Is Kylian Mbappé able to do it? I don't know. He did it at PSG because he was given a lot of responsibility but wearing the armband may have served him well in the Champions League at Bayern Munich. I wonder if Kylian Mbappé will be able to manage the others..."

In goal, Mike Maignan

For now, one thing is certain: AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan will take Hugo Lloris' place in goal. His understudy should be Alphonse Aréola, until then third in the hierarchy. The doorman of Nantes, Alban Lafont, or the last rampart of Lens, Brice Samba are fighting for 3rd place.

>> READ ALSO - Dubbed in Italy, excellent on penalties... Who is Mike Maignan, designated heir to Hugo Lloris?

For the rest, there is no revolution to expect with a majority of players present in Qatar including the solid defender of Bayern Munich Dayot Upamencano. Hopeful international Wesley Fofana, excellent at Chelsea, could be called up for the first time. On the sides, logically, Jules Koundé on the right and Theo Hernandez on the left will be solicited. Eduardo Camavinga who had helped in the left corridor in the France team during the World Cup, after the forfeit of Lucas Hernandez but also with Real Madrid is likely to return in blue.

On the other hand, Jonathan Clauss, absent from the last World Cup should not be recalled despite his good performances with Olympique de Marseille. Finally, in attack, with the forfeits of Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele and Leipzig player Christopher Nkunku, the return of Moussa Diaby who plays at Bayer Leverkusen is possible.