The insanely talented France XI not called up by Didier Deschamps: Ekitike, Mateta…

Stars from Liverpool, Manchester United and Real Madrid are among the big-name players who’ve been omitted from Didier Deschamps’ latest France squad.

It’s no secret that France are blessed with serious depth in multiple positions and that’s highlighted by the number of talented players who didn’t make the latest squad.

Not including players like Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud, who’ve already announced their international retirement, here’s an insanely talented XI that were left out of Deschamps’ squad.

GK: Alphonse Areola

Having been dropped to the bench at West Ham, it didn’t come as much of a surprise to see Areola omitted from the France squad.

Instead, Deschamps has gone with his trusted trio of Mike Maignan, Lucas Chevalier and Brice Samba.

RB: Nordi Mukiele

After spending the last three years on the books at PSG, Mukiele recently made the switch to Sunderland to get more regular minutes.

The 27-year-old hasn’t played for France since 2021 and he’d need to have the season of his life at Sunderland if he wants to make the World Cup squad from this point.

CB: Maxime Esteve

Part of a Burnley defence that only conceded 16 goals in 46 league matches last season, Esteve definitely has the potential to play for France one day.

Now being tested by Premier League attackers, Deschamps will get the chance to see what the 23-year-old is made of at the top level.

CB: Leny Yoro

After an injury-hit debut season in Manchester, Yoro still needs to prove his worth at club level before he is considered for international duty.

He has started in both of United’s league matches so far and if he’s able to impress between now and the end of the season, he could have an outside chance of making France’s World Cup squad.

LB: Eduardo Camavinga

Capable of playing at left-back or in midfield, the September international break has come too soon for Camavinga.

Having missed the start of the season for Real Madrid, the 22-year-old is expected to return to fitness after the international break.

However, whether he is able to win his place back in the France squad remains to be seen.

RM: Randal Kolo Muani

Usually a centre-forward, we’ve crowbarred Kolo Muani on the right-hand side to fit him into this XI.

The £77million PSG forward faces an uncertain future in Paris and looks likely to leave between now and deadline day.

He performed well during the second half of last season for Juventus, scoring 10 goals in 22 appearances for the Italian side.

Juventus are working on bringing him back to the club, but amid the transfer speculation, he’s been left out of France’s latest squad.

CM: Corentin Tolisso

Despite having his best season in years for Lyon in 2024-25, Tolisso still hasn’t done enough to win a place in Deschamps’ squad.

The 31-year-old hasn’t made an international appearance since 2021, despite his form at club level being excellent for the past 18 months.

Another notable omission from midfield is N’Golo Kante, who made a good impression for France at Euro 2024.

CM: Boubacar Kamara

After sustaining a hamstring injury against Brentford, Kamara wouldn’t have been eligible to be called up regardless.

However, according to reports from France, it seemed unlikely that the Aston Villa star would’ve been selected, even if fully fit.

The 25-year-old has only made five appearances for France since 2022 and seems to be fairly low down in their midfield pecking order.

LM: Christopher Nkunku

Nkunku’s exclusion from Deschamps’ latest squad didn’t come as a huge surprise, but we are talking about a player who has scored 76 goals across the last four seasons.

For his sake, the 27-year-old needs to leave Chelsea to get regular minutes elsewhere.

If he can recapture his form from his RB Leipzig days, a return to the France squad could be on the cards in the future.

ST: Jean-Philippe Mateta

Despite scoring 36 goals across his last two full seasons with Crystal Palace, Mateta hasn’t received a call-up by Deschamps.

The 28-year-old did star for France in the 2024 Olympics, but has never made an appearance for the senior squad.

“It’s always been in my head. It’s a childhood dream. It’s the jersey I want to wear,” Mateta said during an interview last year when talking about his international dream.

If he wants to make France’s squad for the 2026 World Cup, he’ll need to have one hell of a season for Palace.

ST: Hugo Ekitike

Despite his stellar start to life in the Premier League with Liverpool, Ekitike will have to wait until at least October before making his international debut.

The 23-year-old has started the 2025-26 campaign in fine form, scoring three goals and producing one assist in his first three games for Liverpool.

He already looks like the real deal in the Premier League, but competition within the France squad is fierce at the top end of the pitch.

We’d be shocked if Ekitike isn’t part of the France squad by the time the 2026 World Cup rolls around, but for the time being, he’ll have to wait patiently for his chance on the international stage.

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