France suffer Kimpembe injury blow ahead of FIFA World Cup
France defender Presnel Kimpembe is the latest player to be ruled out of the FIFA World Cup due to injury.
The 26-year-old has been withdrawn from the FIFA World Cup squad after failing to recover from injury. The PSG man will be replaced by Axel Disasi from AS Monaco. He is “expected in the day at the CNF Clairefontai.”
Kimpembe said he “does not consider himself sufficiently recovered from his injury” to feature in the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
The FIFA World Cup roars to life in Qatar on Sunday, 19 November as France look to defend their title.
“Insufficiently recovered from his injury, Presnel Kimpembe will not participate in the World Cup. Axel Disasi was called in to replace him,” read the statement released by the French Football Federation [FFF].
“This decision was taken this Monday morning, in Clairefontaine, after an exchange between the player and the doctor of the France Team, Dr. Franck Le Gall, and then between the player and Didier Deschamps.
“The staff of the France Team salutes Presnel’s honesty and wishes him to regain all of his physical means as soon as possible.”
Deschamps has also included Marcus Thuram in his final France squad list off to Qatar.
UPDATED FRANCE FIFA WORLD CUP SQUAD
GOALKEEPERS
Alphonse Areola West Ham (ENG), Hugo Lloris Tottenham (ENG), Steve Mandanda Rennes (FRA)
DEFENDERS
Axel Disasi [Monaco], Lucas Hernandez [Bayern Munich], Theo Hernandez [AC Milan], Ibrahima Konate [Liverpool], Jules Kounde [Barcelona], Benjamin Pavard [Bayern Munich], William Saliba [Arsenal], Dayot Upamecano [Bayern Munich], Raphael Varane [Manchester United]
MIDFIELDERS
Eduardo Camavinga [Real Madrid], Youssouf Fofana [AS Monaco], Matteo Guendouzi [Marseille], Adrien Rabiot [Juventus], Aurelien Tchouameni [Real Madrid], Jordan Veretout [Marseille]
FORWARDS
Karim Benzema [Real Madrid], Ousmane Dembele [Barcelona], Kingsley Coman [Bayern Munich], Olivier Giroud [AC Milan], Antoine Griezmann [Atletico Madrid], Kylian Mbappe [PSG], Christopher Nkunku [RB Leipzig], Marcus Thuram [Bor. M’Gladbach].