Mbappe, Pogba in France squad as Martial and Mendy miss out

Monaco striker Kylian Mbappe has been named in the France squad for upcoming matches against Netherlands and Luxembourg.

The 18-year-old is in Didier Deschamps’ 24-man squad despite having only played in one of Monaco’s three Ligue 1 matches this term.

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba is included but there is no place for team-mate Anthony Martial, who scored twice and registered one assist in his side’s Premier League wins over West Ham and Swansea City.

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema remains absent, while Benjamin Mendy, who is yet to play since joining Manchester City from Monaco, and Tottenham misfit Moussa Sissoko have also been left out.

Chelsea’s Tiemoue Bakayoko, who made his debut against Tottenham last weekend, has also been overlooked.

Borussia Dortmund forward Ousmane Dembele, who is locked in a transfer wrangle between the Bundesliga club and Barcelona, is another notable absentee, with Deschamps explaining that he had placed himself in “a difficult situation” due to his absence from training.

Marseille winger Florian Thauvin, who made his debut against Paraguay in June, and Paris Saint-Germain’s Presnel Kimpembe have both been called up.

France, who sit second in World Cup qualifying Group A behind Sweden, host Netherlands next Thursday before taking on Luxembourg on Sunday.

RDV lundi à Clairefontaine pour préparer les 2 matchs de qualif’ à la #CDM2018 face aux Pays-Baset au Luxembourg! #FiersdetreBleus pic.twitter.com/b1V2sYyFh9

— Equipe de France (@equipedefrance) August 24, 2017

SQUAD IN FULL:

Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (PSG), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Steve Mandanda (Marseille)

Defenders: Lucas Digne (Barcelona), Christophe Jallet (Nice), Presnel Kimpembe (PSG), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal), Layvin Kurzawa (PSG), Djibril Sidibe (Monaco), Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid)

Midfielders: N’Golo Kante (Chelsea), Thomas Lemar (Monaco), Blaise Matuidi (Juventus), Paul Pogba (Manchester United), Adrien Rabiot (PSG), Corentin Tolisso (Bayern Munich)

Forwards: Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich), Nabil Fekir (Lyon), Olivier Giroud (Arsenal), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal), Kylian Mbappe (Monaco), Florian Thauvin (Marseille)