France overlook Ekitike for World Cup qualifiers, Akliouche called up

Hugo Ekitike missed out on a place in the France squad named Wednesday for the start of their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, but coach Didier Deschamps did hand a first senior call-up to highly-rated Monaco winger Maghnes Akliouche. France overlook Ekitike for World Cup qualifiers, Akliouche called up

Ekitike has made an impressive start to his Liverpool career with three goals in three competitive outings since arriving in the close-season from Eintracht Frankfurt.

However the 23-year-old striker, who scored five goals in five appearances for the France Under-21 side last season, will have to wait for his chance in the senior squad, where competition is fierce.

France, World Cup winners in 2018 and runners-up in 2022, begin their bid to qualify for next year's finals in North America with a trip to Poland to play Ukraine next Friday, .

They then host Iceland in Paris on Tuesday, . Azerbaijan will be their other opponents in Group D, with further matches to be played in October and November and the group winners qualifying automatically for the finals.

Akliouche, 23, has been on the fringes of the full France squad for some time thanks to his impressive displays for Monaco which have led to him being linked with other big clubs around Europe.

He was part of Thierry Henry's team which won the silver medal at the Paris Olympics last year.

Rayan Cherki, who made his senior France bow in June in the UEFA Nations League finals just before joining Manchester City from Lyon, is also included.

Experienced Marseille midfielder Adrien Rabiot is named as well despite being frozen out by his club and put up for sale after being involved in a dressing-room fight with a teammate earlier this month.

France squad

Goalkeepers: Lucas Chevalier , Mike Maignan , Brice Samba

Defenders: Lucas Digne , Malo Gusto , Lucas Hernandez , Theo Hernandez , Ibrahima Konate , Jules Kounde , William Saliba , Dayot Upamecano

Midfielders: Desire Doue , Manu Kone , Adrien Rabiot , Aurelien Tchouameni , Khephren Thuram

Forwards: Maghnes Akliouche , Bradley Barcola , Rayan Cherki , Ousmane Dembele , Kylian Mbappe , Michael Olise , Marcus Thuram

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