France's World Cup 2022 squad: Who was left out of the France World Cup squad?

Despite appearing in about 15 World Cup tournaments, France, one of the original four countries to attend the first global football competition, has only managed to hold two trophies since 1930. With the country's World Cup 2022 players' list already public, who made it to France's World Cup 2022 squad and who did not?

Arguably, the country has the best national football team. As of November 2022, the national men's team ranked fourth by FIFA with 1759.58 points. Explore more about France's World Cup 2022 squad, who's in and out?

Which players are missing the World Cup?

About 11 players are missing from the Les Blues squad. First-choice soccer stars such as Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kanté, and Presnel Kimpembé are some of the players who will miss the 2022 World Cup due to injuries. On the other hand, Anthony Martial, Ferland Mendy and Tonguy Ndombele will miss out on the call-up because of tactical reasons.

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10. Christopher Nkunku

Days before the start of the World Cup, Nkunku was forced out of the roster after suffering an injury during a training exercise. The forward was seen walking off the field after a tackle between him and Real Madrid’s centre-back, Eduardo Camavinga.

9. Mike Maignan

Earlier in November, Maignan was expected to feature on the French team's 2022 FIFA World Cup player list. However, a last-minute statement from the team revealed that he would not be called up, citing a health issue. Speaking to MilanNews, Maignan referred to it as one of the biggest disappointments of his career.

8. Anthony Martial

Fans of the number 9 player for Manchester United will have to wait for another four years since Martial is not going to the World Cup. Unfortunately, after sustaining a back injury, Anthony has been away from the field since early October 2022. Citing injuries and tactical reasons, Martial was sidelined for yet another World Cup after he missed the 2018 Russia games.

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7. Lucas Digne

Lucas Digne is a 2013 World Cup Winner. The left-back defender who participated in France's Under-20 World Cup championship missed out on the biggest football event after being snubbed from the 26-man squad. In an adorable video posted by Digne's wife, Tirizi, their children jumped delightfully while singing after hearing about his snub.

6. Wesley Fofana

In October, Wesley Tidjan Fofana, France's prolific defender, picked up a knee ligament injury that kept him away from playing for his team Chelsea and Les Bleus. The French Ivorian defender had been invited to appear on the Ivory Coast national football team. However, the squad failed to qualify.

To salvage his World Cup appearance hopes, Fofana accompanied English defender Reece James to Qatar in a last-ditch effort to play for his country. In a statement, Chelsea acknowledged the duo's persistence and said,

“Reece James and Wesley Fofana will continue their rehabilitation programmes this week in Dubai. A member of the Chelsea medical department will accompany them.”

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5. Tanguy Ndombele

Napoli midfielder Tanguy Alvaro Ndombele has been steadily rising to become one of the best midfielders in the Premier League. However, Ndombele missed out on the 2022 World Cup squad for France.

In the recent past, he faced widespread criticism for failing to meet expectations in the Premier League until 2021, when his performance improved. While naming players for the World Cup qualifiers, French manager Didier Deschamps had this to say about him,

"Tanguy’s performances are coming close to the ones he showed at Lyon. He has been playing consistently for several weeks and has regained his athletic abilities. He is playing and scoring goals, even if he could score more. Repeated injuries greatly hampered him. He is gradually gaining maturity. What he can do today he has been able to do for several years, which is why he was part of the squad of world champions."

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4. Boubacar Kamara

The defensive midfielder Boubacar will sit out the World cup after he picked up a knee injury in a Premier League match against Southampton. His manager at Aston Villa, Steven Gerrard, revealed to the media that the treatment and rehabilitation would put Bouba out of the field until after the World Cup.

3. Ferland Mendy

Although several Real Madrid players are heading to Qatar for the global tournaments, Ferland Mendy will sit out the Cup this year. Citing tactical reasons, the French manager who opted for Theo and Lucas Hernandez for the team's defence urged Mendy to use this time to regain his 2021/22 momentum.

2. Paul Pogba

Paul Pogba is one of the top Les Blues players who will miss the World Cup because of lingering knee problems. In a statement, his agent, Rafaela Pimento, revealed the unfortunate news, saying,

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“After medical exams yesterday and today, it is extremely painful to announce that Paul Pogba needs more rehabilitation after his operation.

1. N'Golo Kante

Chelsea's top midfielder, Kante, will be out of France's World Cup 2022 squad list after suffering a serious hamstring injury during a match against Tottenham Hotspurs. This is unfortunate news for fans and the team, considering his role in France's 2018 World Cup victory.

France's final squad for World Cup 2022

The French squad is star-studded with some of the best football players in the world, such as Kylian Mbappe, Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann and Benzema going to the 2022 World Cup. Hugo Lloris, who led the team in 2018's victory, will be the captain of France 2022.

Who else will be wearing France's 2022 World Cup jersey? Although France's starting 11 has yet to be revealed, here is a detailed list of the French national football team's players, with their positions. Click on the link above to learn more about the Blues.

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With great optimism, France's World Cup 2022 squad has been widely received and celebrated. However, fans worldwide are disappointed that some of their favourite soccer superstars will not play.

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