Konate earns France recall as Deschamps admits Mbappe isn’t at his best

Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate earned a recall to the France squad on Thursday following injury for next week’s Euro 2024 qualifier against the Netherlands and a friendly with Scotland.

France coach Didier Deschamps also selected Marseille defender Jonathan Clauss for the first time in over a year as his side look to secure their place at next year’s tournament in Germany.

The 2022 World Cup runners-up top Group B with a maximum 15 points from five matches and can make sure of qualification with a victory over the Dutch in Amsterdam on October 13.

The Netherlands are six points behind in second but have a game in hand. France won the first meeting 4-0 at home in March.

Konate started the first four qualifiers but missed the 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland and a defeat by Germany in a friendly last month because of a hamstring injury.

Clauss returns to the France set-up despite the crisis currently afflicting Marseille, whose coach Marcelino Garcia Toral resigned after just se

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