France name squad for 2018 Russia World Cup – and there’s big omissions

Didier Deschamp has named his squad for the World Cup in Russia – and there’s no room for Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazatte or Manchester United’s Anthony Martial.

The Premier League pair were not in the 23-man group announced by coach Deschamps on Thursday night.

Instead they were included on an 11-strong standby list for the tournament in Russia.

Marseille’s former West Ham midfielder Dimitri Payet has also been omitted.

He went off injured in Marseille’s Europa League final defeat to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night.

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema also misses out – as does Paris Saint-Germain’s talented midfielder Adrien Rabiot.

Liverpool target Nabil Fekir has also been included after a fantastic season for Lyon.

Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud has been included in the squad, along with team-mate N’Golo Kante, while Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, Manchester City left-back Benjamin Mendy and United midfielder Paul Pogba are the other England-based players in the party.

Bayern Munich’s Kingsley Coman is another big name who has to be content with a place on the standby list, alongside the likes of Tottenham’s Moussa Sissoko, Crystal Palace’s Mamadou Sakho and Kurt Zouma, on loan at Stoke from Chelsea.

Payet suffered a muscle injury during Wednesday’s Europa League final, which Marseille lost 3-0 to Atletico Madrid.

"He was a serious candidate for a place in the 23 but for this kind of injury it’s usually three weeks of recovery," said Deschamps.

"And there is a risk of hurting yourself again with this kind of injury and I must give my final list to FIFA on June 4.

France squad in full

Goalkeepers: Alphone Areola (Paris St Germain), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur), Steve Mandanda (Olympique de Marseille)

Defenders: Lucas Hernandez (Atletico Madrid), Presnel Kimpembe (Paris St Germain), Benjamin Pavard (VfB Stuttgart), Benjamin Mendy (Manchester City), Djibril Sidibe (Monaco), Adil Rami (Olympique de Marseille), Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid)

Midfielders: Blaise Matuidi (Juventus), N’Golo Kante (Chelsea), Steven N’Zonzi (Sevilla), Paul Pogba (Manchester United), Corentin Tolisso (Bayern Munich)

Forwards: Olivier Giroud (Chelsea), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), Kylian Mbappe (Paris St Germain), Thomas Lemar (Monaco), Nabil Fekir (Olympique Lyonnais), Florian Thauvin (Olympique de Marseille), Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona)

Replacements: W. Ben Yedder, Coman, Costil, Debuchy, Digne, Lacazette, Martial, Rabiot, Sakho, Sissoko, Zouma.

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