Paris, Nov 16 () Frankfurt forward Randal Kolo Muani has been called up by the French team for the Qatar World Cup on Wednesday, following the unexpected knee injury of Leipzig striker Christopher Nkunku a day before.
“The FIFA Medical Committee has endorsed the withdrawal of Christopher Nkunku due to injury,” the French Football Federation (FFF) said in a statement. “The national coach has decided to call on Randal Kolo Muani.”
The 25-year-old Nkunku injured his left knee during training on Tuesday when he collided with Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga.
Nkunku is the latest on a list of high-profile absentees for defending champions France, which includes midfielders Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante and defender Presnel Kimpembe, reports Xinhua.
The lethal striker has scored 12 goals in 15 appearances for Leipzig in Bundesliga this season, sitting at the top of the league scorer list.
The 23-year-old Kolo Muani is currently in Japan with his Frankfurt club, according to the FFF, and will head to Doha, Qatar to join the national team on Thursday morning.
France will kick off the defence of the title they won in 2018, on November 22 in Group D with the match against Australia.
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