Didier Deschamps Reveals France’s 23-Man Squad for 2014 World Cup, Leaves Out Nasri and Abidal
Didier Deschamps, head coach of the French national team, has unveiled his much-awaited squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The announcement included 23 players set to represent Les Bleus, along with seven reserves. However, there were notable omissions, most prominently Samir Nasri and Eric Abidal, who were both left out of the final selection.
Deschamps’ squad is a mix of experience and youthful energy, with several high-profile names included, but also some surprising exclusions. Here is the full list:
Goalkeepers:
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Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur/ENG)
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Steve Mandanda (Marseille)
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Mickaël Landreau (Bastia)
Defenders:
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Raphaël Varane (Real Madrid/ESP)
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Mamadou Sakho (Liverpool/ENG)
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Mathieu Debuchy (Newcastle United/ENG)
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Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal/ENG)
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Lucas Digne (Paris Saint-Germain)
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Eliaquim Mangala (Porto/POR)
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Bacary Sagna (Arsenal/ENG)
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Patrice Evra (Manchester United/ENG)
Midfielders:
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Yohan Cabaye (Paris Saint-Germain)
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Paul Pogba (Juventus/ITA)
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Blaise Matuidi (Paris Saint-Germain)
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Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle United/ENG)
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Clément Grenier (Lyon)
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Rio Mavuba (Lille)
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Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)
Forwards:
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Karim Benzema (Real Madrid/ESP)
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Franck Ribéry (Bayern Munich/GER)
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Antoine Griezmann (Real Sociedad/ESP)
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Olivier Giroud (Arsenal/ENG)
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Loïc Rémy (Newcastle United/ENG)
Reserves:
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Rémy Cabella (Montpellier)
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Maxime Gonalons (Lyon)
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Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon)
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Loïc Perrin (Saint-Étienne)
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Stéphane Ruffier (Saint-Étienne)
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Morgan Schneiderlin (Southampton/ENG)
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Benoît Trémoulinas (Saint-Étienne)
The seven reserve players will stay with the squad until May 28, after which final decisions will be made. As for the exclusions, Samir Nasri, who has enjoyed a strong season with Manchester City, and Eric Abidal, who has been performing well with Monaco, were both left out, much to the surprise of many fans and pundits.
The squad is set to begin preparations for the World Cup, with their opening match scheduled for June 12 in Brazil. With a blend of seasoned players like Benzema, Ribéry, and Lloris, alongside rising stars such as Pogba, Griezmann, and Varane, Deschamps’ team will be aiming to go far in the tournament and improve on their performances in recent international competitions.
Will this squad be able to bring France their second World Cup title? Only time will tell, but the stage is set for what promises to be an exciting journey to Brazil.
