Paul Pogba is struggling with a foot injury and has been left out of the France squad for the next batch of Euro 2020 qualifiers © AFP/File / Paul ELLIS
PARIS, France, Oct 3 – Paul Pogba was left out of the France squad named Thursday for their upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers against Iceland and Turkey, but N’Golo Kante and Kylian Mbappe both return.
Pogba is currently struggling with a foot problem and was not named in Manchester United’s squad to play AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League on Thursday, although he did play in Monday’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal.
Kante has had an injury-hit start to the season and did not feature in France’s home wins over Albania and Andorra last month, while Mbappe has only just returned from a hamstring injury.
Elsewhere, Mbappe’s PSG teammate Presnel Kimpembe returns with fellow defenders Samuel Umtiti and Aymeric Laporte sidelined.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Tanguy Ndombele makes his comeback as Arsenal’s Matteo Guendouzi drops down to the under-21 squad, and there is a recall for back-up goalkeeper Steve Mandanda of Marseille.
The World Cup holders face Iceland in Reykjavik on Friday, October 11 before entertaining Turkey at the Stade de France on Monday, October 14.
Les Bleus are level atop Group H with Turkey on 15 points from six games, with Iceland three points back and the top two qualifying for the final tournament.
France squad
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (Real Madrid/ESP), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur/ENG), Steve Mandanda (Marseille)
Defenders: Lucas Digne (Everton/ENG), Leo Dubois (Lyon), Lucas Hernandez (Bayern Munich/GER), Presnel Kimpembe (Paris Saint-Germain), Clement Lenglet (Barcelona/ESP), Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich/GER), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid/ESP), Kurt Zouma (Chelsea/ENG)
Midfielders: N’Golo Kante (Chelsea/ENG), Blaise Matuidi (Juventus/ITA), Tanguy Ndombele, Moussa Sissoko (both Tottenham Hotspur/ENG), Corentin Tolisso (Bayern Munich/GER)
Forwards: Wissam Ben Yedder (Monaco), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich/GER), Olivier Giroud (Chelsea/ENG), Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona/ESP), Jonathan Ikone (Lille), Thomas Lemar (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)
