With the Ligue 1 Uber Eats season all but wrapped up and just under a month to go until the 2024 European Championships kick off, longtime France manager Didier Deschamps announced his squad for the tournament. Returns for N’Golo Kanté and Ferland Mendy were the most eye-catching, but the veteran coach also leaned as heavily players from Ligue 1 as he ever has, with eight players from France called up.

Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan, AC Milan; Alphonse Areola, West Ham United; Brice Samba, Racing Club de Lens

Maignan, who was instrumental in helping LOSC Lille to the Ligue 1 Uber Eats title in 2020-21 is likely to start, facing the task of replacing the legendary Hugo Lloris in goal. He'll be joined by Areola, late of Paris Saint-Germain, and Samba, who helped Racing Club de Lens back into Europe this season after the club made a historic run to a place in the Champions League by finishing second last season.

Defenders:  Benjamin Pavard, Inter Milan; Jules Koundé, Sevilla FC; Théo Hernandez, AC Milian; Dayot Upamecano, Bayern Munich; Ibrahima Konaté, Liverpool; William Saliba, Arsenal; Jonathan Clauss, Olympiqe de Marseille; Ferland Mendy, Real Madrid

After a serious injury suffered by PSG's Lucas Hernandez, a stalwart under Deschamps, in France's defence, only Marseille's Clauss makes the squad this time around. After having been left out of the 2022 World Cup squad by Deschamps, he has been a regular in the current season, helping his side reach the semifinals of the Europa League and featuring in each of France's last six matches.

Midfielders: N’Golo Kanté, Al-Ittihad; Adrien Rabiot, Juventus; Aurélien Tchouameni, Real Madrid; Youssouf Fofana, AS Monaco; Eduardo Camavinga, Stade Rennais; Warren Zaïre-Emery, Paris Saint-Germain

Fofana again returns to the squad with his strong form in the run-in having been vital to AS Monaco reaching the Champions League, and he is joined by the teenage wunderkind Zaïre-Emery, whose dynamic play has made him one of the first names on Luis Enrique's teamsheet as the capital side rolled to their third straight title.

Attackers: Olivier Giroud, AC Milan; Antoine Griezmann, Atlético Madrid; Kylian Mbappé, Paris Saint-Germain; Kingsley Coman, Bayern Munich; Ousmane Dembélé, Paris Saint-Germain; Marcus Thuram, Inter Milan; Randal Kolo Muani, Paris Saint-Germain; Bradley Barcola; Paris Saint-Germain

For the most part, the attackers picked by Deschamps were relatively familiar choices -- Griezmann, Mbappé and Giroud are among France's legends, while Coman and Dembélé, the league's leader in assists, have combined for nearly one hundred caps despite being just 27. Kolo Muani and Thuram may not fill their boots on a regular basis, but both offer a change of place that Deschamps is not afraid to call upon. Barcola, though, remains one of the biggest surprises in this squad. As yet uncapped for the senior side, Barcola has been impressive on the left flank for the champions, picking up seven assists and four goals, and getting the nod over the more experienced likes of Moussa Diaby and Christopher Nkunku.