FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifiers: France coach Didier Deschamps retains Layvin Kurzawa, recalls Dimitri Payet

Paris: Paris Saint-Germain defender Layvin Kurzawa retained his place in the France squad on Thursday for next month’s World Cup qualifiers despite a video of him criticising national coach Didier Deschamps. [caption id=“attachment_4092215” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  France’s Dimitri Payet in action against Sweden earlier in 2017. Reuters[/caption] Marseille midfielder Dimitri Payet and Tottenham Hotspur’s Moussa Sissoko were also named in a 24-man squad for the 7 October clash away to Bulgaria and the home tie with Belarus three days later. France lead Group A by a point from Sweden going into the final two rounds of matches but were held to an embarrassing 0-0 draw by minnows Luxembourg in Toulouse in their most recent outing. Deschamps will be without the sidelined trio of Paul Pogba, Ousmane Dembele and Benjamin Mendy as France look to nail down the top spot and clinch automatic qualification for next year’s tournament in Russia. France squad Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola, Hugo Lloris, Steve Mandanda Defenders: Lucas Digne, Christophe Jallet, Presnel Kimpembe, Laurent Koscielny, Layvin Kurzawa, Djibril Sidibe, Samuel Umtiti, Raphael Varane Midfielders: N’Golo Kante, Blaise Matuidi, Adrien Rabiot, Moussa Sissoko, Corentin Tolisso Forwards: Kingsley Coman, Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann, Alexandre Lacazette, Thomas Lemar, Kylian Mbappe, Dimitri Payet, Florian Thauvin