List of the Blues: still no Giroud, Coman back and the Nkunku surprise?

Christmas is approaching nicely and the France team will draw a final line on 2021 from mid-November with one ultimate goal: to validate its ticket for the World Cup in Qatar (November 21-December 18, 2022).

To achieve this, nothing could be simpler than a victory against Kazakhstan on November 13 at the Parc des Princes, before a trip that can count for butter in Finland three days later.

In his quest to close with the feeling of duty accomplished a controlled qualifying campaign, Didier Deschamps will unveil his list of 23 players this Thursday at 2 p.m., supposed to meet (all) his expectations.

Without forgetting the success of the League of Nations last month and the victory at the expense of Spain, nor the failure of the Euro, which will remain as the immense disappointment of this year 2021.

To discover

• Qualifying rankings for the 2022 World Cup

• The 2022 World Cup qualifying calendar

Coman back, Kanté too, it should stick again for Giroud

To read also "We are the France team, we can not do that": what he said in the locker room of the Blues at half-time

For this final meeting of the year, which will also have the objective of continuing the renewal operated by the coach since the bankruptcy of last summer, the usual executives are expected at Clairefontaine on Monday. Apart from Raphaël Varane and Mike Maignan, injured and forfeited, Hugo Lloris, Presnel Kimpembe, Paul Pogba, N'Golo Kanté or Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappé will be on the list. Just like, except huge physical glitch, in the one for Qatar next year. A situation that differs for Olivier Giroud, absent in September and October and who should experience the same outcome this Thursday, except for a huge surprise. Since the Euro, during which he has hardly played, the Milanese is sidelined by the coach who prefers him Anthony Martial, replacing Edinson Cavani,himself on the bench at Manchester United, but mostly injured currently.

Read also Deschamps moved, "You are a monster", techno music: behind the scenes of the Blues after the victory in the League of Nations

In the offensive sector, Kingsley Coman, back from injury with Bayern Munich and much appreciated by the staff of the Blues, should be part of the game. The prospect of a surprise with the first call-up of Christopher Nkunku, attractive with Leipzig and scorer against Paris SG on Wednesday night cannot be ruled out. In the middle of the field, a three-way match takes place between Corentin Tolisso, also back on the field with Munich, Mattéo Guendouzi and Aurélien Veretout, called since two gatherings and whose internal feedback is positive. Thomas Lemar, hit in the right thigh, will miss the call while Aurélien Tchouaméni, attractive for his debut in the selection, has every reason to believe in a new call from the coach.

In defense, with the package of Varane, boss of the three-way defense set up in October during the League of Nations and if Didier Deschamps considers Théo Hernandez as a midfielder - which is not the case of course and the boss of the world champions knows this better than anyone - another right central defender could be summoned. Attractive with OM since the start of the season, William Saliba is observed but the staff of the Blues still considers too early to see him with A. Dayot Upamecano, feverish against Spain in the final of the League of Nations, militates for a place, just like Kurt Zouma, back on the field with West Ham. At the goalkeeper position, behind Hugo Lloris and Benoît Costil, Mike Maignan's injury could benefit Alphonse Areola,but the latter plays little with the Hammers (2 matches played this season), if not in the European Cup… Time to test Illan Meslier, 21, goalkeeper for Leeds and the Espoirs? Answer this Thursday at 2 p.m.