Florian Thauvin is in contention for a recall to the France squad for November's international break. The 33-year-old RC Lens forward is a candidate for the list Zinedine Zidane will announce on Friday.
The former Marseille man, a 2018 World Cup winner, last featured for Les Bleus in a 3-1 win over Azerbaijan on 16 November 2025. His club form this season, with 4 goals and 7 assists in 9 Ligue 1 matches, marks him out as one of the division's most decisive players. This resurgence coincides with a spate of injuries in the national team pool, affecting Ousmane Dembélé, Esteban Lepaul and Michael Olise, who was hurt on 31 October playing for Bayern Munich.
A former pro's view
Dominique Grimaud believes a call-up is likely. "To be called up, it seems obvious to me, and Zizou will do it in my opinion," he said. The former player tempered expectations about breaking into the starting side. "Now, to compete with the players who are there today… It would really take a set of circumstances for him to establish himself."
The squad is preparing for a trip to face Italy on 12 November in qualifying. France approach the break in strong form, unbeaten in their last four matches with three wins and a draw. Their most recent result was a comprehensive 4-1 win over Belgium on 5 October, where Michael Olise scored twice. The manager is also dealing with injuries to Maxence Lacroix, William Saliba and Manu Koné, while Warren Zaïre-Emery and Aurélien Tchouaméni are expected to be selected. Marcus Thuram is also mentioned as a potential replacement for the absent forwards.
At 33, Thauvin would bring experience and a maturity developed since his Marseille days. His versatility across the forward line could provide Zidane with an additional option as he finalises his group for the key match in Italy. The official squad will be confirmed this Friday.
Background and full detail: Sports.fr
