Defenders
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Mathieu Debuchy (Arsenal), Gael Clichy (Manchester City), Laywin Kurzawa (PSG), Mamadou Sakho (Liverpool), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid), Kurt Zouma (Chelsea), Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Bilbao) and Benoit Tremoulinas (Sevilla)
Three defenders who started regularly for France during the FIFA World Cup 2014 are not part of the team that will participate in Euro. The first is Mathieu Debuchy of Arsenal who lost his place in his club to young Hector Bellerin. Debuchy moved to Bordeaux on loan in January, but a thigh injury in May ruled him out of the reckoning.
Mamadou Sakho and Raphael Varane, who were the first choice centre-backs during the World Cup didn’t find a place in the 23 either. While the former was not picked due to his on-going case related to a failed drug test, the latter had to pull out of the squad due to injury. Varane’s and Sakho’s absence should have been a perfect opportunity for young Laporte and Zouma to cement their place in the French squad, but both players were injured before the teams were announced. Similarly, another quality player who will miss the tournament through injury is Sevilla’s left-back Benoit Tremoulinas.
Gael Clichy is Manchester City’s first choice left back, but the 30-year-old was overlooked by Deschamps for the World Cup as well. Similarly, another quality full back who is missing out is Laywin Kurzawa of PSG. Kurzawa replaced Lucas Digne at PSG, however, Digne has made the final cut while Kurzawa wasn’t even part of the probable list.
