Muani replaces injured Nkunku in France’s FIFA World Cup squad

Muani, who is currently in Japan with his club, will join Didier Deschamps’ camp in Doha on Thursday.

File image of Randal Kolo Muani. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Eintracht Frankfurt striker Randal Kolo Muani will replace fellow forward Christopher Nkunku in the France squad ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Muani, who is currently in Japan with his club, will join Didier Deschamps’ camp in Doha on Thursday.

Nkunku was ruled out of the World Cup after sustaining an injury in training on Tuesday. The RB Leipzig forward left the training session early with a left knee injury. A video circulating on social media showed Nkunku clash with team mate Eduardo Camavinga.

Kolo Muani, 23, has made 23 appearances for Frankfurt in all competitions this season, scoring eight goals and recording 11 assists. He made his first two senior appearances for France in September’s Nations League games against Austria and Denmark.

Coach Deschamps is already missing midfielders Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante, who helped France win the World Cup four years ago. Central defender Presnel Kimpembe pulled out Monday after failing to recover from a hamstring injury.

France sits in group D alongside Australia, Denmark and Tunisia. The defending champion will kick-off its tournament campaign against the Socceroos on November 22 at the Al Janoub Stadium.