Second best scorer in the history of the Blues, Olivier Giroud, as certain signals suggest, will he be part of it? Paul Pogba, operated on his right knee on September 5, will he be recovered in time to board the plane for Doha on November 16? These questions torment the fans of the Blues and fuel the discussions. They will have to wait a few more weeks before being informed.
Expected in the week of November 7 to 11, the list of Didier Deschamps should, according to our information, be disclosed on November 9 to the 8 p.m. newspaper of TF1 by Gilles Bouleau. “We are waiting for the formalization, but it should be on this date”, we are confirmed in the entourage of the broadcaster. Unlike Euro 2021, the private channel will, this time, be the only one to hear from the coach.
No more, in fact, shared custody with M6, in progress until the September League of Nations matches. TF1 has since taken over the retransmission of Blues meetings on its own until 2028. The major tournaments are the subject of other negotiations.
We should therefore know on November 9 how many internationals will be called up to set out to conquer a third star. Each nation can retain, in fact, up to 26 players instead of 23 previously for the World Cup (November 20 to December 18). Unlike the last Euro where only 23 names could be entered on the score sheet, with three elements relegated to the stands, it will be possible to have up to 15 substitutes on the bench in Qatar.
Asked about the subject, the Basque technician reserves his decision. He just felt that it is more difficult to win a World Cup at 26 rather than 23. He could, however, reserve the possibility of taking 24 players including Pogba, if the latter resumes competition upstream, around the November 5, to have a classic list of 23 and its medium in addition, and to grant him a little extra time.
For the record, the final list of players (between 23 and 26 including three goalkeepers) must be submitted to FIFA before November 14 at 7 p.m. All players must come from the expanded initial list (between 35 and 55 names communicated before October 21). FIFA will publish the final lists of all qualifying nations on November 15.
The Blues, paid in group D with Australia, Denmark and Tunisia, will start their tournament against the Australians on November 22.
