Giroud, Dembele back in France squad as Deschamps admits Pogba doubts

France’s coach Didier Deschamps speaks during a press conference at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, northern Paris on October 13, 2019, on the eve of the Euro 2020 Group H qualification football match between France and Turkey. (Photo by Lucas Barioulet / AFP)

Olivier Giroud and Ousmane Dembele were both included in the final France squad before the World Cup on Thursday, as coach Didier Deschamps dealt with the absence of a host of big names for a UEFA Nations League double header and faced up to the possibility of Paul Pogba missing the World Cup.

Juventus midfielder Pogba — who scored in France’s 4-2 win over Croatia in the 2018 World Cup final — faces a race against time to be fit for this year’s tournament in Qatar after undergoing knee surgery last week.

“He will do everything to come back quickly, without taking risks. But nobody today can say yes or no with certainty,” Deschamps told reporters in Paris.

“The number one condition is that he has recovered from his injury. I have never taken a player to a tournament if he has not fully recovered.

“I don’t have the answers today but I would never take a player — whoever that might be — if there is a chance he is not fit for the first match,” added Deschamps.

“He will not come if he is not ready. There is no point coming just for the sake of it. Even he doesn’t want that.”

France starts their World Cup campaign against Australia on November 22.

Karim Benzema is also sidelined for this month’s matches with a thigh injury suffered playing for Real Madrid.

With Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante recovering from injury, Paris Saint-Germain defender Presnel Kimpembe sidelined, and Bayern Munich duo Kingsley Coman and Lucas Hernandez also ruled out, Deschamps has brought back some familiar