Domenech has named 30 players who could travel to South Africa, but 'Benz' isn't one of them...
France will go to the World Cup without Karim Benzema after coach Raymond Domenech decided to omit the Real Madrid forward in favour of Toulouse striker Andre-Pierre Gignac and Panathinaikos goal-getter Djibril Cisse when he announced his 30-man squad for South Africa on TF1 on Tuesday evening.
Domenech was expected to announce his final 23-man party, but his first surprise was to instead announce a panel of 30 players that will need to be trimmed before the World Cup begins on June 11.
While notable figures such as Manchester City's Patrick Vieira, Sevilla's Julien Escude and Arsenal's Samir Nasri failed to make the cut, the typically enigmatic Domenech elected to name a host of wildcard faces in his squad. Stade Rennais teenager Yann M'Vila and Olympique de Marseille's Mathieu Valbuena, neither of whom has previously earned international recognition at senior level, were two of the most eyebrow raising inclusions.
Valbuena's OM team-mate Hatem Ben Arfa has made the cut, despite finding himself increasingly playing the role of substitute at Stade Velodrome after a bright start to 2010, while Rennes forward Jimmy Briand has been rewarded for a fine conclusion to the campaign by being named in the 30.
Notably, 'Dom' has also included four goalkeepers in the squad, meaning that one, probable either Cedric Carrasso of Girondins de Bordeaux or the recalled Mickael Landreau of Lille, will be axed from the team that will travel to South Africa.
Domenech was expected to announce his final 23-man party, but his first surprise was to instead announce a panel of 30 players that will need to be trimmed before the World Cup begins on June 11.
While notable figures such as Manchester City's Patrick Vieira, Sevilla's Julien Escude and Arsenal's Samir Nasri failed to make the cut, the typically enigmatic Domenech elected to name a host of wildcard faces in his squad. Stade Rennais teenager Yann M'Vila and Olympique de Marseille's Mathieu Valbuena, neither of whom has previously earned international recognition at senior level, were two of the most eyebrow raising inclusions.
Valbuena's OM team-mate Hatem Ben Arfa has made the cut, despite finding himself increasingly playing the role of substitute at Stade Velodrome after a bright start to 2010, while Rennes forward Jimmy Briand has been rewarded for a fine conclusion to the campaign by being named in the 30.
Notably, 'Dom' has also included four goalkeepers in the squad, meaning that one, probable either Cedric Carrasso of Girondins de Bordeaux or the recalled Mickael Landreau of Lille, will be axed from the team that will travel to South Africa.
| Goalkeepers | - |
| Hugo Lloris | Olympique Lyonnais |
| Steven Mandanda | Olympique de Marseille |
| Cedric Carrasso | Girondins de Bordeaux |
| Mickael Landreau | Lille |
| Defenders | - |
| Rod Fanni | Stade Rennais |
| Patrice Evra | Manchester United (ENG) |
| Eric Abidal | Barcelona (ESP) |
| Adil Rami | Lille |
| William Gallas | Arsenal (ENG) |
| Sebastien Squillaci | Sevilla (ESP) |
| Bacary Sagna | Arsenal (ENG) |
| Anthony Reveillere | Olympique Lyonnais |
| Marc Planus | Girondins de Bordeaux |
| Gael Clichy | Arsenal (ENG) |
| Midfielders | - |
| Alou Diarra | Girondins de Bordeaux |
| Lassana Diarra | Real Madrid (ESP) |
| Jeremy Toulalan | Olympique Lyonnais |
| Franck Ribery | Bayern Munich (GER) |
| Yoann Gourcuff | Girondins de Bordeaux |
| Florent Malouda | Chelsea (ENG) |
| Yann M'Vila | Stade Rennais |
| Abou Diaby | Arsenal (ENG) |
| Forwards | - |
| Thierry Henry | Barcelona (ESP) |
| Nicolas Anelka | Chelsea (ENG) |
| Djibril Cisse | Panathinaikos (GRE) |
| Sidney Govou | Olympique Lyonnais |
| Hatem Ben Arfa | Olympique de Marseille |
| Mathieu Valbuena | Olympique de Marseille |
| Jimmy Briand | Stade Rennais |
| Andre-Pierre Gignac | Toulouse |
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