Kylian Mbappe in France squad to face England


Didier Deschamps has named 18-year-old Monaco forward Kylian Mbappe in the France squad to face England next month.

Les Bleus host England at the Stade de France in a friendly on June 13, and Deschamps has selected a 26-man squad, who will also take on Sweden in a World Cup qualifier on June 9 following a friendly against Paraguay on June 2.

Mbappe became France's second youngest player when he made his debut against Luxembourg in March.

There is still no place for Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, who has not featured for his country since October 2015 due to his alleged involvement in a blackmail plot against international team-mate Mathieu Valbuena.

Seven Premier League players have been included, with Chelsea's PFA Player of the Year N'Golo Kante joined by team-mate Kurt Zouma, Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba, Tottenham pair Hugo Lloris and Moussa Sissoko and Arsenal duo Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny.

"All the players will play," Deschamps said in quotes reported by L'Equipe.

Asked about Benzema's ongoing omission, he added: "The team of France was built before Euro (2016), consolidated through the competition, it continued to be in this phase of qualifications.

"I have a band in which there is a balance, a harmony."

France squad: Alphonse Areola (Paris Saint-Germain), Benoit Costil (Rennes), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham); Lucas Digne (Barcelona), Christophe Jallet (Lyon), Presnel Kimpembe (Paris Saint-Germain), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal), Benjamin Mendy (Monaco), Djibril Sidibe (Monaco), Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid), Kurt Zouma (Chelsea); N'Golo Kante (Chelsea), Blaise Matuidi (Paris Saint-Germain), Paul Pogba (Manchester United), Adrien Rabiot (Paris Saint-Germain), Moussa Sissoko (Tottenham), Corentin Tolisso (Lyon); Ousmane Dembele (Borussia Dortmund), Olivier Giroud (Arsenal), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon), Thomas Lemar (Monaco), Kylian Mbappe (Monaco), Dimitri Payet (Marseille), Florian Thauvin (Marseille)

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