With Griezmann absent for the first time since 2017, how did the Blues look then?

Antoine Griezmann will miss the next two friendlies against Germany and Chile after 84 consecutive appearances with the Blues. The last time an Atletico player missed a match against France, it was a much different team than it is now.

The last time the Macon native didn’t take to the pitch with the Blues, Didier Deschamps fielded a very good side. It was against England (3–2) on 13 June 2017 during a friendly match. It took almost 7 years for Griezeau to come into the game before setting this record of 84 consecutive appearances. Up front, the coach relied on the already indestructible Olivier Giroud but alongside him, a young prodigy was only honoring his second choice with the first team: Kylian Mbappe. In a 4-2-2-2 tactical formation, Ousmane Dembélé occupied one side. There are only three players who have still been called up for EDF.

Also see – Mbappé, Griezmann, Tchouameni… The Blues arrive in style at Clairefontaine this Monday

Behind, still no one

On the other hand, we find Thomas Lemar, who has not been called for selection since September 2021. At the back, all the players present on the match sheet are no longer in DD’s plans. In the midfield, we got the pairing of N’golo Kanté-Paul Pogba. One embraced the sirens of Saudi Arabia after losing his undisputed starting spot while the other was suspended for 4 years for doping.

The central hinge consisted of Raphael Varane and Samuel Umtiti, who risked his career to win the 2018 World Cup. On the wings, we found Benjamin Mendy, now at Lorient, as well as Djibril Sidibe opposite former captain Hugo. Loris in a cage. Even if most of these players are no longer wearing the Blues jersey, the French will remember that they gave everything to win another star in Russia in 2018.