Deschamps Debuts an Unexpected Blip: France’s Injury Woes Kick Off the November Camp
9 November 2025
Injury setback hits France camp
Didier Deschamps, France's head coach, announced an early setback before the November camp, forcing a tweak to the squad.
The French national team will host Ukraine and then face Azerbaijan on November 13 and 16, in the European World Cup qualifying group for 2026 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Just before the camp begins, Deschamps had to omit Randal Kolo Muani, the Tottenham Hotspur striker on loan from Paris Saint-Germain until the end of the season.
According to Radio Monte Carlo, Muani sustained a jaw fracture stronger than initially thought, prompting Deschamps to call up veteran Florent Thauvin from Lens, 32, to replace him in the squad.
Muani had already missed several early-season matches with a thigh injury and had yet to score for Spurs; Thauvin had returned to the national team in October after more than six years away.
Squad details and injury updates
Deschamps had named a 24-man squad for the Ukraine and Azerbaijan fixtures, which includes:
Goalkeepers: Lucas Chevalier (PSG), Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Brice Samba (Stade Rennais).
Defenders: Lucas Digne (Aston Villa), Malo Gusto (Chelsea), Lucas Hernandez (PSG), Theo Hernandez (Al-Hilal), Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool), Jules Koundé (Barcelona), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich).
Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), N'Golo Kanté (Al Ittihad), Manu Koné (Roma), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Warren Zaïre-Emery (PSG).
Forwards: Magnus Akliouche (Monaco), Bradley Barcola (PSG), Rayan Cherki (Lyon), Hugo Ekitike (Liverpool), Randal Kolo Muani (Tottenham), Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace), Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid), Christopher Nkunku (Milan).
France are also missing several players due to injuries, most notably Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué.
Last month, a public row emerged between Paris Saint-Germain and the French Football Federation, with PSG accusing Deschamps of aggravating Dembélé's thigh problem, keeping him out for more than six weeks.
The 28-year-old Ballon d'Or winner will miss the November camp after a fresh leg-muscle issue suffered during a 2-1 defeat to Bayern Munich at the Parc des Princes in the Champions League.
Deschamps said at a press conference: "I'm not here to lecture. Injuries happen, and clubs must manage them. I won't alter medical protocols or grant clubs extra authority; decisions are made based on available information and the interests of both sides."
He added: "There have always been debates about players' fitness, as with Ousmane. When tests are done, the club and national teams communicate; club interests can diverge from national ones, but I'm not here to change protocols."
He concluded: "I'm not in Louis Enrique's shoes at PSG; every player runs the risk of injury in matches. Even players like Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes, who were ready, picked up injuries against Bayern too."
In the Champions League, PSG opened defense with three straight wins, crushing Atalanta 4-0 at the Parc des Princes, beating Barcelona 2-1 in Montjuïc, and routing Bayer Leverkusen 7-2 in Germany, before a 2-1 loss to Bayern in the fourth round.
PSG endured a tough summer after losing the expanded Club World Cup final to Chelsea 3-0; injuries have punctuated Luis Enrique's season, leaving them third in Ligue 1 with 24 points, a point behind Marseille and Lens, and with one game in hand.
Punchline time: If injuries were goals, France would be top of the league, but sadly the scoreboard keeps flashing “injury time.”
Punchline two: Deschamps might need a bigger squad and a bigger box of band-aids—preferably with better Wi-Fi to stream the press conferences on time.
