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The 2018 FIFA World Cup winners, France, have revealed their squad for the prestigious UEFA Euro 2024, which is set to kickstart on June 15. The Didier Deschamps side continued their crusading run in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar before eventually bottling the summit clash game to Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina.
France knocked out of the last Euro Cup with a heartbreaking 5-4 penalty shootout defeat to Switzerland after finishing at 3-3. However, the current stock of the France nationals is on par with that squad or even the Qatar and they made it to the championship without getting defeated, despite being in the toughest group.
Kante, Mendy return, Varane miss out
The squad had some surprising decisions with the biggest shock being the return of their mid-fielder N’Golo Kante in the set-up after June 2022. The 33-year-old joined Saudi club Al Ittihad last summer following his stint in the Premier League with Chelsea. Alongside him, the 28-year-old Ferland Mendy will also return to the fold after September 2022.
However, the star defender Raphael Varane, who recently announced his departure from the English club Manchester United has been dropped from the squad.
France will feature in two warm-up games against Luxembourg and Canada before kickstarting their Euro campaign against Austria on June 17. They will further play with the Netherlands on June 21 followed by a game against Poland on June 25.
France UEFA Euro 2024 squad
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola, Mike Maignan, Brice Samba
Defenders: Jonathan Clauss, Theo Hernandez, Ibrahima Konate, Jules Kounde, Ferland Mendy, Benjamin Pavard, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano
Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga, Youssouf Fofana, Antoine Griezmann, N’Golo Kante, Adrien Rabiot, Aurelien Tchouameni, Warren Zaire-Emery
Forwards: Bradley Barcola, Kingsley Coman, Ousmane Dembele, Olivier Giroud, Randal Kolo Muani, Kylian Mbappe, Marcus Thuram
