In a press conference after announcing his squad for France’s upcoming gathering, Didier Deschamps justified the absences of Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kanté. The French coach also mentioned that the door isn’t closed for these two players.
On Thursday, the coach of the French national team, Didier Deschamps, unveiled his list of selected players to face Ireland (September 9th) in the Euro 2024 qualifiers and Germany (September 12th) in a prestigious friendly match at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund. The squad comprised 23 players, excluding Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kanté. During the press conference, the French coach explained his choices, with his statements relayed by RMC Sport.
Regarding Kanté’s absence, he stated: “He has played again, he has played a few matches, not the full 90 minutes, in a league of a good level, even if there are high temperatures, which is not ideal. He is coming off a blank year. I felt he needed to keep playing, and the players who were there during his absence responded to my expectations. As I have said before, for me, N’Golo remains eligible for selection, but for this gathering, I chose to confirm the younger players who had already responded well to the demands of the highest level.”
About Paul Pogba, Deschamps explained: “He was fortunate to play a good twenty minutes. It’s the beginning of a journey that is still long compared to last year, which was a blank year for him. Patience is needed, but I believe in him and his ability to regain his best level. He has the mentality and the experience, but it won’t happen overnight. If he regains his best form, he will once again be an important candidate for the French national team.”
