Paris: France coach Didier Deschamps has recalled Juventus left back Patrice Evra after Paris Saint-Germain star Layvin Kurzawa’s weekend injury.
Evra was captain of France at the South Africa World Cup in 2010 but at 35 years of age has finally fallen down the pecking order to the extent he was excluded from recent squads.
But Evra, winner of the last two Serie A titles in Italy and five Premier League titles in England, is an old favourite of Deschamps.
A key member of the Euro 2016, squad he also played at AS Monaco under Deschamps as they made a run to the 2004 Champions League final.
With seven points from three games France are level top of Group A with Sweden, who they host at the Stade de France on Friday.
Rennes ‘keeper Benoit Costil was also called into the squad after PSG stopper Alphonse Areola was also injured at the weekend.
France squad
Goalkeepers: Benont Costil (Rennes), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham/ENG), Steve Mandanda (Crystal Palace/ENG)
Defenders: Sibastien Corchia (Lille), Lucas Digne (Barcelona/ESP), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal/ENG), Patrice Evra (Juventus/ITA), Adil Rami (Seville/ESP), Djibril Sidibi (Monaco), Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona/ESP), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid/ESP)
Midfield: N’Golo Kante (Chelsea/ENG), Blaise Matuidi (PSG), Dimitri Payet (West Ham/ENG), Paul Pogba (Manchester United/ENG), Adrien Rabiot (PSG), Moussa Sissoko (Tottenham/ENG)
Strikers: Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich/GER), Ousmane Dembele (Dortmund/GER), Nabil Fekir (Lyon), Kevin Gameiro (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Olivier Giroud (Arsenal/ENG), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid/ESP)
