France coach Didier Deschamps assembled a squad with formidable attacking talent for the World Cup and rewarded goalkeeper Robin Risser with a call-up for the showpiece tournament on Thursday following his breakthrough season.
Risser, who plays for Lens, has been one of the revelations of the French league season and won the award for the best goalkeeper earlier this week. He played a big role in making Lens the second-best defense in Ligue 1 and was selected by Deschamps in a No. 3 role behind Mike Maignan and Brice Samba.
“I’m full of pride, it’s something incredible,” Risser told broadcaster TF1. “I can’t find the words. It’s just extraordinary. It was one of my dreams.”
France is looking for a third World Cup title and is among the favorites for the event taking place from June 11-July 19 in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
France has been drawn in Group I and will take on Senegal, Iraq and Norway during the group stage.
Deschamps is gifted with an impressive attacking reservoir including Kylian Mbappé, Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, rising star Désiré Doué, Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki and Maghnes Akliouche.
He also called up Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta, who was preferred to Randal Kolo Muani in his 26-man list. The Tottenham striker had been a late addition to France’s previous World Cup squad four years ago. Kolo Muani scored a goal against Morocco in the semifinals and came close of becoming a national hero in the final before France lost to Argentina in a penalty shootout.
Among those missing out are Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga and PSG goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, who lost his starting spot to Matvey Safonov at the club and has not played since the end of January.
“The main criteria is sporting performance,” Deschamps said. “I understand that Lucas Chevalier may be disappointed, but he hasn’t played for several months anymore. At the time when he could have had some playing time, he didn’t get any.”
Lens winger Florian Thauvin may also feel disappointed, having been one of the five players nominated for Ligue 1’s player of the season.
It will be Deschamps’s final tournament. He announced this year that he will stop after the World Cup, ending a successful reign which began in 2012 and saw France win the 2018 World Cup and reach the 2022 final.
“It’s a special feeling. I did many things today for the last time,” he said. “The most important thing is today and tomorrow. We are focused on the World Cup.”
Former France great Zinedine Zidane is expected to take over, although he has not coached since ending his second spell in charge of Real Madrid, leading the Spanish giant to three Champions League and two La Liga titles.
___
Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan, Brice Samba, Robin Risser.
Defenders: Lucas Digne, Malo Gusto, Lucas Hernandez, Théo Hernandez, Ibrahima Konaté, Jules Koundé, Maxence Lacroix, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano.
Midfielders: N’Golo Kanté, Manu Koné, Adrien Rabiot, Aurelien Tchouaméni, Warren Zaire-Emery.
Forwards: Maghnes Akliouche, Bradley Barcola, Rayan Cherki, Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, Marcus Thuram.
___
