United slayer Ben Yedder gets France call-up

Paris (AFP) – Wissam Ben Yedder’s brace which sent Manchester United crashing out of the Champions League in midweek earned the Sevilla striker his first ever call-up for France on Thursday. 

France coach Didier Deschamps also found space for Paul Pogba and his Manchester United teammate Anthony Martial in his squad to face Colombia at the Stade de France on March 23, and Russia in St Petersburg four days later.

Ben Yedder, at 27 years old and previously uncapped at senior level, provided the major surprise on the 24-man list.

Monaco’s former Arsenal target Thomas Lemar, and his clubmate Djibril Sidibe were both named on the back of their team’s 14-match Ligue 1 unbeaten run, while Barcelona starlet Ousmane Dembele is also back for Deschamps.

France squad

Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur/ENG), Steve Mandanda (Marseille), Alphonse Areola (Paris Saint-Germain)

Defenders: Lucas Digne (Barcelona/ESP), Lucas Hernandez (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Presnel Kimpembe (PSG), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal/ENG), Benjamin Pavard (Stuttgart/GER), Djibril Sidibe (Monaco), Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona/ESP), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid/ESP)

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

Strikers: Wissam Ben Yedder (Sevilla/ESP), Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona/ESP), Olivier Giroud (Chelsea/ENG), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Anthony Martial (Manchester United/ENG), Kylian Mbappe (PSG), Florian Thauvin (Marseille)