Not initially called up by Didier Deschamps for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan (10th October) and Iceland (13th October), Florian Thauvin is eventually set to make his return to the France squad during this international break.
As announced by the French Football Federation (FFF) on Monday, the 2018 World Cup winner has been called up as a replacement for Bradley Barcola, who ‘suffers from a chronic injury to his right hamstring’ sustained during PSG’s Champions League match against Atalanta Bergamo (4-0, 17th September).
The 32-year-old RC Lens forward, who returned to Ligue 1 last summer, will be making his first appearance for Les Bleus since 2019. The reward for a successful start to the season for the former Olympique de Marseille player, who has scored two goals and has lead the Sang et Or in technical play. His most recent cap for France came in the Euro 2020 qualifiers against Andorra, a match in which he scored a goal and provided an assist.
Barcola, 23, whose length of unavailability has not been disclosed, has therefore left Clairefontaine to return to PSG. Since suffering the injury, the Parisian left winger has nevertheless played in three matches, including his team’s victory away to FC Barcelona in the Champions League (1-2 on 1st October). He joins a long list of Parisian players currently injured, including Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Marquinhos and Joao Neves.
