France test Bradley Barcola-Kylian Mbappé-Michael Olise front three | OneFootball

France are now without Olivier Giroud. The LAFC forward announced his international retirement in the wake of Les Bleus’ elimination from Euro 2024 at the hands of Spain.

Who will succeed France’s all-time top-scorer in the long term remains an unanswered question. Marcus Thuram had been touted for the role, but he has thus far failed to convince in the No.9 role, whilst Randal Kolo Muani has also struggled to convince, especially at club level since his big-money move to Paris Saint-Germain last summer.

L’Équipe are reporting that, in preparation for France’s UEFA Nations League fixtures against Italy and Belgium, captain Kylian Mbappé has been tested in the No.9 role. That was during Tuesday’s training session at Clairefontaine. Bradley Barcola, Mbappé’s former teammate at PSG, lined up on the left, whilst Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise, who is almost certain to make his international debut during the current international break, was on the right. Time will tell if Didier Deshcamps will opt for that line-up against Italy on Friday night.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle