Tchouaméni and Thuram out of France as Zidane loses three players

Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni and Inter Milan striker Marcus Thuram left the France squad on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, because of injuries, ahead of the Nations League games against Italy and Turkey. The French Football Federation announced both departures at the national team’s training centre in Clairefontaine, in Yvelines, France.

The exits leave coach Zinedine Zidane without three players in a few hours. Pierre Kalulu, the Juventus defender, had already been ruled out on Monday, November 9, due to a left hamstring injury.

Thuram leaves after no improvement in new tests

Thuram was hurt during Inter’s 2-0 Serie A win over Como on Sunday, November 8, 2026, in which he scored the second goal. He did not train on Monday. After new tests on Tuesday showed no improvement, the national team’s medical staff released him to his club, in agreement with Inter and the player.

Learn more: Zidane holds first France training without Mbappé and Dembélé

The federation has not given a recovery timeline for Thuram. Reports describe his tests as reassuring, but no return date has been confirmed. The reports also differ on the exact diagnosis: the injury is described as a problem in the back of his right thigh, and one outlet cites a strain in the same muscle group without further detail.

Tchouaméni felt pain in training on Tuesday

Tchouaméni began to feel pain during training on Tuesday and could not finish the session. The federation said in an official statement: “The player has been feeling this pain since arriving at Clairefontaine.” After consulting doctors from Real Madrid, the medical staff decided to send him back to the club.

See also: Uefa Nations League sees France and Belgium battle for Group A1 top spot without Mbappé

The reports differ on where the pain is. The federation cites the right adductor, while Goal describes it as groin pain. The federation has not said how long Tchouaméni will be out.

The federation’s statement places the start of the problem earlier than the training session. According to the statement, the pain had been present since Tchouaméni arrived at Clairefontaine, and he could not finish the session on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. After consulting doctors from Real Madrid, the medical staff decided to send him back to the club, which removes him from both Nations League matches against Italy and Turkey. No recovery period has been announced for him.

The same injury kept Tchouaméni out of France’s September camp, after he suffered it at the 2026 World Cup. He was not able to play until now, and this is the second time in the same year that the problem has forced him out of the national team.

Kroupi and Kumbedi called up as replacements

Eli Junior Kroupi, striker for Bournemouth, was called up to replace Thuram. He has never been picked for the senior squad before. Saël Kumbedi, right-back for Wolfsburg, was called up to replace Kalulu.

The federation did not call up a replacement for Tchouaméni. He will miss both Nations League games.

France leads its Nations League group with 10 points

France has 10 points from four games in the Nations League group and leads the group. The team now faces Italy and Turkey with three players fewer than the squad it had on Monday.

The departures come while France sits at the top of its group. The first of the three losses came on Monday, November 9, 2026, when Pierre Kalulu was ruled out with a left hamstring injury and replaced by Saël Kumbedi of Wolfsburg. The next day, the federation announced the exits of Thuram and Tchouaméni, leaving Zidane with fewer options for the games against Italy and Turkey, and with no replacement called up for Tchouaméni.

• Thursday, November 12, 2026: France vs Italy, Nations League, in Italy; reports place the match in Milan
• Sunday, November 15, 2026: France vs Turkey, Nations League, in France
• Out: Pierre Kalulu (left hamstring), Marcus Thuram (thigh injury), Aurélien Tchouaméni (adductor or groin pain, depending on the report)
• Called up: Eli Junior Kroupi (replaces Thuram), Saël Kumbedi (replaces Kalulu)

Kick-off times and Thuram’s return remain unknown

The federation has not announced kick-off times for the games against Italy and Turkey. The sources consulted did not confirm the exact venue in Italy beyond Milan, and it is not known when Thuram or Tchouaméni will return to training with the national team.