Deschamps Names France’s 23-Man Squad Amid Ribéry Fitness Doubts
France head coach Didier Deschamps officially announced his 23-man squad on Monday ahead of the upcoming international tournament, submitting the final list to FIFA despite ongoing concerns over Franck Ribéry’s fitness.
The Bayern Munich midfielder continues to battle chronic lower back pain, casting doubt over his participation. While Ribéry remains included in the squad for now, the final decision on his availability is expected following France’s final warm-up match against Jamaica next Sunday.
Meanwhile, Karim Benzema and Raphaël Varane, both absent from France’s recent friendly against Paraguay, are set to travel with the squad to Brazil, signalling their return to full fitness ahead of the tournament.
The squad features a blend of experienced players and emerging talents across all positions. In goal, Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Stéphane Ruffier (Saint-Étienne), and Mickaël Landreau (SC Bastia) have been selected to guard the posts.
The defensive line-up boasts the likes of Real Madrid’s Raphaël Varane, Liverpool’s Mamadou Sakho, and Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny and Bacary Sagna. Other defenders include Mathieu Debuchy (Newcastle), Lucas Digne (Paris Saint-Germain), Eliaquim Mangala (Porto), and Patrice Evra (Manchester United).
In midfield, the squad combines creativity and dynamism with players such as Yohan Cabaye (PSG), Paul Pogba (Juventus), Blaise Matuidi (PSG), Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle), Clément Grenier (Lyon), Rio Mavuba (Lille), and Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille).
Upfront, the attacking options include Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Franck Ribéry (Bayern Munich), Antoine Griezmann (Real Sociedad), Olivier Giroud (Arsenal), and Loïc Rémy (Newcastle).
Deschamps will closely monitor Ribéry’s condition in the coming days, with the French squad hopeful that their talismanic winger can recover in time to make an impact. Until then, the team prepares to finalise its preparations in Brazil.
