Euro 2024: the surprise return of N’Golo Kanté shocks France!

Didier Deschamps has decided. Last night, the coach of the France team chose to call on 25 players to participate in Euro 2024 in Germany. DD could have selected a maximum of 26 Blues but he made a strong first choice by deciding to call fewer. The former coach of Olympique de Marseille also had a surprise in store since he decided to take N’Golo Kanté with him. Which was unexpected, especially since the midfielder went into exile in Saudi Arabia and has not worn the rooster jersey for a little over two years. But Deschamps accepted his choice.

Chef DD’s surprise

“I can understand that the supporters of the France team did not follow his journey, he is now in Saudi Arabia, it is more complicated, he came out of a 2022/2023 season with a major injury, but without that would have been part of my list for the World Cup in Qatar. After that, he had a full season, he regained all his physical abilities and thanks to his experience and his physique, I am convinced that the France team will be better with him. The Blues coach therefore asks to trust him. But his decision inevitably caused reactions here and there.

This Friday, The Team has also given its front page to the tricolor community: “Kanté comes out of the desert“. The sports daily then added: “the N’Golo Kanté surprise, the unexpected reminder of a major and popular figure in the recent history of the French team, came alone to extinguish the reluctance and justify the staging. Considering his recent choices and his public speech, overall, Didier Deschamps organized a considerable surprise, on several levels. In terms of competition, it is obviously the uncertainty hovering over Aurélien Tchouameni and the lack of sentries which made the 2018 world champion a recourse, at the same time as the expansion of the list to 26 players, that Deschamps has to itself limited to 25.”

France reacts

Our colleagues also added that sportingly, this choice is surprising since Kanté plays in a less posh championship like the Saudi Pro League and he also suffered injuries before leaving Europe. The lack of leadership among the Blues, however, contributed to his return. “NG” is also highlighted in The Parisianwhich evokes a “unlikely return“. The media adds that “no one would have bet a coin on this return” while adding that “his presence is not specifically linked to Aurélien Tchouameni’s injury” but that this event played a role. Le Figaro also mentions the fact that DD “surprised everyone with the call-up of the 2018 world champion”.

Then, the French publication added: “deep down, Didier Deschamps took great pleasure in trapping everyone. He won’t say it on the record, but privately he enjoyed dribbling the media Thursday night. No one saw the possibility of N’Golo Kanté returning with the Blues coming, even less for the Euro in Germany (June 14-July 14). Person. And yet (…) It’s difficult to imagine Kanté returning to the French team to confine himself to the bench and see Fofana, Zaire-Emery come off the bench before him.” He will therefore have a role to play in Germany.

Europe is also surprised

This comeback also caused our European neighbors to react. In Spain, A.S. dropped : “N’Golo Kanté, surprisingly, was also called up by Deschamps, after several months in which he did not have the confidence of the coach due to his signing in Saudi football.” same for me Marca who wrote : “Kylian Mbappé, as expected, is at the top of the list of the France team… but there are two surprises: Ferland Mendy (Real Madrid) returns and there is N’Golo Kanté (Al Ittihad).” In England, where the midfielder played at Leicester then at Chelsea, this return is inevitably commented on.

THE Daily Mail notably indicated: “the surprise inclusion is that of former Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kanté, who returns to international duty two years after receiving his last call-up in June 2022. After leaving Stamford Bridge last summer, Kanté played in Saudi Arabia for Pro League side Al-Ittihad, where he managed to avoid the nagging injuries that plagued his final two seasons in west London.” In the spotlight since last night, the discreet Kanté intends to respond on the pitch and show that he is still a great player.