English-born winger Michael Olise was rewarded for his impressive performances for France at the Olympics by being called up to the full French national team Thursday for the start of its UEFA Nations League campaign next month.
The 22-year-old, who was born and brought up in London to a Nigerian father and French-Algerian mother, was arguably the standout player in Thierry Henry’s France team that won the Olympic silver medal at the Paris Games earlier this month.
He has also recently joined Bayern Munich from Crystal Palace for a reported 60 million euros (USD 66.6m), off the back of scoring 10 goals in 19 games in the Premier League last season.
“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,” coach Didier Deschamps told reporters.
“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.”
France hosts Italy at the Parc des Princes in Paris next Friday, September 6, before taking on Belgium three days later in Lyon.
Olise is not the only member of the Olympic squad to make the step up, with 23-year-old Borussia Moenchengladbach midfielder Manu Kone also getting the call from Deschamps.
There is also a return to the squad for Chelsea centre-back Wesley Fofana, 23, whose only cap so far came in a Euro 2024 qualifier against Gibraltar over a year ago.
Kylian Mbappe will feature for France for the first time since making his debut for new club Real Madrid.
Players who went to Euro 2024 in Germany -- where France reached the semifinal -- but have been left out this time, include Inter Milan defender Benjamin Pavard, Bayern winger Kingsley Coman, and midfielder Adrien Rabiot.
The latter was a regular at the Euros but his absence from the squad is related to the fact he currently has no club after leaving Juventus when his contract expired.
Veteran striker Olivier Giroud, now playing for Major League Soccer outfit Los Angeles FC, retired from international duty after the European Championship.
Les Bleus, who won the Nations League in 2021, will also play Israel in League A Group 2, with remaining matches taking place in October and November.
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