Barcelona defender Jules Koundé will be part of France’s Nations League squad that will face Austria on September 22 and Denmark on September 25, respectively.
While giving an interview to L’Équipe, Jules Koundé was asked about whether they would be prioritising the preparation for the World Cup over the results in the UEFA Nations League. While replying to the question, Koundé acknowledged that he would like the team to pursue both accolades. He said:
“These are still competitive matches [in the Nations League] that will help us prepare for the World Cup. I have often heard that, given the number of injuries, these matches were not very useful. I do not agree. First, we have to hold on. Then, it is always used to find benchmarks, to try different things, perhaps.”
France will head into the last break before the Qatar World Cup with a few notable absentees, including Paul Pogba, Karim Benzema, and Adrien Rabiot.
It will be Koundé’s last chance to book a place in the defending champions’ World Cup squad. Since making his senior debut in June 2021, the 23-year-old defender has made 11 appearances for France.
GFFN | Jyotirmoy Halder
