Let’s wait and see the fresh France team in the field with all new as major players retired. New captain, new goalkeeper, new defense, new governance. Kylian Mbappe leading the team out at Stade de France against the Netherlands on Friday.
World Cup runner-up France as it begins European Championship qualifying without Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema. “The end of several players’ international careers means that the squad is younger,” said coach Didier Deschamps. He picked brothers Khéphren and Marcus Thuram in his first squad since last year’s World Cup. “Obviously we have less experience.”
The Thuram brothers are the sons of famed France defender Lilian Thuram, who played with Deschamps when France won the 1998 World Cup. Their selection gives insight into how Deschamps plans to rebuild.
“We want to have answers for the future while remaining competitive,” he said. “Because our first two games are already difficult, so we have a degree of obligation.”
Mbappe, meanwhile, succeeds veteran goalkeeper Hugo Lloris as captain of France team. Lloris and central defender Raphaël Varane retired from international soccer following the World Cup final defeat to Argentina.
Varane’s departure leaves a healthy competition for his spot between Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konaté and Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano. There are new faces, too, with goalkeeper Brice Samba of Lens and Chelsea center back Wesley Fofana called up for the first time.
But the spotlight Friday will be on Mbappe.
His hat trick in the World Cup final propelled him further into soccer stardom. Which made it a logical choice for Deschamps when it came to replacing Lloris, France’s record holder with 145 caps.
Lloris and Varane took that decision away from him by retiring, and Deschamps has the luxury of being able to count on AC Milan standout Mike Maignan as his No. 1.
The 27-year-old Maignan was outstanding when Milan won the Italian league in 2022.
Benzema was outstanding, too, throughout all of 2022 but left the World Cup injured without kicking a ball.
