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Kante Benched Again: France's World Cup Mystery
30 Jun
Summary
- N'Golo Kante is not starting for France against Sweden.
- Kante has missed three consecutive matches due to knee pain.
- Tchouameni and Rabiot are France's current midfield duo.
France is set to play Sweden in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup on June 30. The French team has demonstrated strong form, securing victories in all three of their Group I matches.
However, N'Golo Kante has once again been excluded from France's starting XI for the match against Sweden. Kante has been unavailable for selection throughout the World Cup, despite being part of the squad.
Reports indicate that Kante is not suffering from a muscular injury but is experiencing knee pain, which caused him to miss group training sessions. Head coach Didier Deschamps described the issue as a "problem" that would make his participation "tight" for the upcoming game.
In Kante's absence, Aurelien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot have formed France's primary midfield partnership. Kouadio Kone has also seen significant playing time in the midfield, including playing full matches against Iraq and Norway.
