Michael Olise Receives First Call-Up To France National Team For Nations League

Add as a preferred source on Google

Michael Olise has been selected for France's senior squad by Didier Deschamps for the first time. The 22-year-old, who played at the Paris Olympics, joins Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Manu Kone in making the step up. Olise impressed at the Games, helping Thierry Henry's team reach their first final since 1984, scoring twice and providing five assists.

France will kick off their Nations League campaign against Italy on September 6, followed by a match against Belgium three days later. This encounter with Belgium is a repeat of their last 16 clash at Euro 2024. The squad includes notable names like Alphonse Areola from West Ham United and Mike Maignan from AC Milan.

Olise secured a move to Bayern Munich for a reported £50.8 million before the Olympics. He had an impressive season with Crystal Palace, recording 10 goals and six assists in the 2023-24 campaign. "Michael did great things with Thierry Henry's Olympic team and he has moved up into a new category with his transfer to Bayern Munich," Deschamps told reporters.

The squad also sees the return of Chelsea's Wesley Fofana and features Kylian Mbappe, who will play internationally for the first time since joining Real Madrid. However, three players from the Euro 2024 squad are missing: Kingsley Coman, Benjamin Pavard, and Adrien Rabiot.

Deschamps added, "It is quite logical that he should now come with us. He still has progress to make but potentially he has a lot of quality." This statement underscores Olise's potential and readiness for international football.

Complete Squad List

The full squad list includes:

The inclusion of new talents like Olise and Kone highlights Deschamps' strategy to blend youth with experience. This approach aims to strengthen France's chances in upcoming competitions.

The French national team’s official Twitter account shared the squad announcement: ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????? Voici la liste des Bleus pour les 2 prochains matchs de Ligue des Nations contre l’Italie et la Belgique Avec les premières convocations de ???????????????? ???????????????? et ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????? #FiersdetreBleus pic.twitter.com/QyUrLmygQu — Equipe de France (@equipedefrance) August 29, 2024.

This selection marks an important milestone for Olise as he transitions from Olympic success to senior international football. His performance will be closely watched as France embarks on their Nations League journey.