On May 16, France national team coach Didier Deschamps announced the 25-man squad he will take to the 2024 European Championship (EURO 2024) in Germany. The usual suspects, including Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann, Aurelien Tchouameni, and William Saliba, all made the cut, but there were a couple of surprising inclusions too. N’Golo Kante, who joined Al-Ittihad last summer, and Real Madrid left-back Ferland Mendy returned to the team after a two-year absence.
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The 2β£5β£ French players who have been called up for EURO 2024 π#BleuCollectif | #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/svAdmZMbuX
— French Team ββ (@FrenchTeam) May 16, 2024
Deschamps has a seemingly bottomless pool of top-tier players at his disposal, meaning he can never make everyone happy with his team selection. But there are a few who have every right to feel hard done by his selection for Germany. Continue reading to meet five top players who surprisingly failed to make France’s 25-man squad for EURO 2024.
#5 Leny Yoro
Despite enjoying a stellar campaign with LOSC Lille, 18-year-old center-back Leny Yoro did not feature in Deschamps’ EURO 2024 squad. The youngster started 32 games for Lille in Ligue 1, scoring twice. He also played 12 more matches in cup competitions, bagging another goal.
Yoro, who is reportedly on Real Madrid’s radar, performed better than some of the center-backs on Deschamps’ list. But we suspect Deschamps was looking for a more experienced set of defenders for EURO 2024. Yoro, who plays from France U23, could be included in France’s squad for the Paris Olympics.
#4 Malo Gusto
Chelsea defender Malo Gusto is another youngster who will sit out the 2024 European Championship. The 21-year-old right-back performed superbly for the Blues in Reece James’ absence in the 2023-24 season, providing nine assists in 37 matches in all competitions.
We believe Gusto would have been a worthy addition to France’s squad. His performances exuded maturity and his output was higher than both France’s top right-back options, Benjamin Pavard and Jules Kounde. While Bayern Munich man Pavard claimed three assists in 32 games, Barcelona man Kounde clocked two goals and four assists in 47 games.
#3 Matteo Guendouzi
Former Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi has matured a lot over the last couple of years. Gone are the petty bust-ups and rough challenges. He is now a changed man, capable of responsibly bossing the midfield. Guendouzi spent the 2023-24 season on loan at Lazio and deservedly earned a permanent transfer, which will go through this summer. He played 45 games for the Italian outfit, scoring thrice and providing four assists.
With N’Golo Kante making the cut despite spending the last year in Saudi Arabia, Guendouzi will surely feel hard done by his EURO snub.
#2 Christopher Nkunku
Christopher Nkunku endured a disastrous start to his Chelsea career, missing the first 16 Premier League games due to a knee injury. He featured in seven Premier League games between December and February before picking up a hamstring injury, which ruled him out for nine more league matches. Nkunku, however, regained his fitness before the end of the season and scored once in his last four games.
Given how little he played in the 2023-24 season, Deschamps’ snub might feel justified. However, Nkunku’s ability to find goals from thin air cannot be overlooked.
#1 Michael Olise
Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise sits on the summit, who was not named in France’s 25-man squad despite having a breakthrough Premier League campaign. Like Nkunku, Olise also missed plenty of games due to injuries. He missed the first 11 games of the 2023-24 Premier League season due to a hamstring problem and seven more due to a relapse in February.
However, whenever he stepped onto the pitch, sparks flew in abundance. The right-winger dazzled on-lookers with his pace, link-up play, slick passes, and ability to find the back of the net. Playing 19 Premier League games, Olise struck 10 times and provided six assists.
Gareth Southgate’s England have taken note of Olise’s EURO snub. In a recent press conference, Southgate revealed that the Three Lions were attentive to the 22-year-old’s situation, suggesting they could eventually entice him to switch to England’s camp.
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