[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"football-site-config":3,"world-cup-status-en":27,"news-detail-why-deschamps-surprise-picks-matter-for-euro-2024":61,"news-related-why-deschamps-surprise-picks-matter-for-euro-2024-en":97,"news-related-match-why-deschamps-surprise-picks-matter-for-euro-2024-en":26},{"adSlots":4,"affiliateMode":5,"brandName":6,"contentStrategy":7,"currency":8,"friendLinks":9,"homepageLayoutKey":10,"leagueFocus":11,"locale":12,"planVisibility":13,"seoDescription":14,"seoTitleTemplate":15,"siteCode":10,"siteName":6,"siteType":10,"subscriptionMode":5,"timezone":16,"id":17,"tenantID":18,"primaryDomain":19,"countryCode":20,"logoUrl":21,"faviconUrl":21,"theme":22,"seoKeywords":24,"status":25,"ads":4,"focusLeagues":26,"affiliatePolicies":26},[],"shared","Football Prediction Platform","scores_predictions","USD",[],"main",[],"en-US",[],"Football fixtures, results, free predictions, subscriptions, and clearly labeled partner links.","{page} | Football Prediction Platform","America\u002FNew_York",323900000000000000,1,"football.easytestdev.online","US","",{"primaryColor":23},"#1677ff","football predictions, football fixtures, football results","active",null,{"active":28,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"leagueImagePath":31,"seasonId":32,"seasonName":33,"startingAt":34,"endingAt":35,"daysToStart":36,"daysToEnd":37,"phase":38,"includeQualifying":39,"hostCities":40},true,"326135624916537344","World Cup","https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.api-sports.io\u002Ffootball\u002Fleagues\u002F1.png","326255613308833792","2026\u002F2027","2026-06-11","2026-06-28",-38,-21,"finished_recent",false,[41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60],"Atlanta","Boston","Dallas","East Rutherford","Guadalajara","Houston","Kansas City","Los Angeles","Mexico City","Miami","Monterrey","New-York","New York New Jersey","Philadelphia","San-Francisco","San Francisco Bay Area","Seattle","Toronto","Vancouver","Zapopan",{"article":62},{"awayTeamId":-1,"awayTeamName":-1,"body":63,"category":64,"excerpt":65,"homeTeamId":-1,"homeTeamName":-1,"id":66,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"matchId":67,"matchName":21,"publishedAt":68,"slug":69,"sourceName":70,"sourceURL":71,"teamId":72,"teamName":73,"teamIds":74,"teamNames":85,"title":96},"As Didier Deschamps prepares to unveil his seventh squad as France manager on Thursday evening, the perennial question looms: will there be any surprises? The coach, set to reveal his selections on TF1's prime-time news, is not historically one for radical gambles. Yet a closer look reveals a pattern of calculated shocks that have shaped Les Bleus' tournament fortunes. From last-minute recalls to controversial omissions, Deschamps' tenure has been punctuated by decisions that defy easy categorization.\n\nTo understand the weight of a squad announcement in France, one must recall the benchmark of all surprises: Raymond Domenech's call-up of Pascal Chimbonda for the 2006 World Cup. That bolt from the blue set a standard few have matched. Deschamps, however, has carved his own niche in the art of the unexpected, particularly in the second half of his reign. The return of Karim Benzema after a five-year exile ahead of Euro 2021 and N'Golo Kanté's recall from Saudi Arabia before Euro 2024 stand as testament to his willingness to overturn convention when the moment demands it.\n\nDeschamps' approach to squad revelations has often been one of strategic foreshadowing. By allowing information to filter through in advance, he has habitually softened the ground for contentious choices. This method was notably employed before Euro 2016, when the omission of Hatem Ben Arfa — despite a 17-goal Ligue 1 season with Nice — had been widely anticipated after careful media management. The same tournament saw Mathieu Valbuena and Benzema sidelined by the sextape scandal, while Mamadou Sakho's provisional suspension for doping (later rescinded) kept him out. Deschamps navigated these minefields by ensuring the public conversation had already moved on by the time the official list dropped.\n\nThe 2014 World Cup cycle offered its own prelude to Deschamps' pragmatic style. Injuries to Steve Mandanda, Franck Ribéry and Clément Grenier forced late changes, but the core group, featuring emerging talents like Antoine Griezmann and Lucas Digne, had been in place since spring. The dramatic playoff comeback against Ukraine had already signaled the end for Samir Nasri and Éric Abidal, their absence confirming a shift toward a more cohesive unit. Even then, the manager's decisions were less about shock value and more about building a resilient squad.\n\nThe 2018 World Cup-winning campaign saw limited upheaval, but it wasn't without its talking points. Adrien Rabiot's refusal to accept a reserve role opened the door for Steven Nzonzi, a move that quietly addressed midfield depth. Alexandre Lacazette, a scorer of two goals in his most recent international appearance, found himself omitted without much outcry. These choices reflected Deschamps' faith in a settled hierarchy, where only principled stands or tactical necessities prompted adjustments.\n\nThe seismic shift arrived three years later. Benzema's recall for Euro 2021 shattered the longest-standing taboo in French football, ending an absence that had spanned over half a decade. The striker's return, leaked just hours before the announcement, sent ripples through the sport and instantly reshaped the national team's attacking identity. Alongside him, debutant Jules Koundé offered a glimpse of a generational transition that Deschamps was ready to accelerate. It was the boldest counter-punch of his career and a clear message that no door was permanently closed.\n\nThat appetite for the unexpected resurfaced ahead of Euro 2024. Kanté, now plying his trade in the Saudi Pro League, was widely believed to have faded from the international picture. His inclusion at the end of May stunned pundits and fans alike, yet it typified Deschamps' respect for proven performers regardless of platform. Bradley Barcola, meanwhile, had never featured for the senior side, but his name had circulated in the discourse leading up to the announcement, hinting at a new wave of talent ready to be unleashed.\n\nThe mechanic behind these surprises is often one of controlled revelation. Deschamps rarely drops a bombshell completely unannounced; instead, he allows whispers to build, turning a potential uproar into a measured debate. This deft media handling explains why even eyebrow-raising picks can feel organic. The gap between a genuine surprise and a less anticipated arbitration, as Thursday's list may demonstrate, is sometimes a matter of perception rather than substance.\n\nWhat impact could fresh surprises have on France's Euro 2024 ambitions? History suggests that Deschamps' shocks tend to serve a purpose, whether it's reinforcing squad harmony, addressing specific tactical gaps, or rewarding form that the public hasn't yet fully registered. With the tournament on home soil, the stakes are immense, and the pressure to balance experience with innovation is at a peak. The inclusion of an unexpected name could signal a strategic pivot or a bold bet on a player's trajectory.\n\nThe upcoming announcement thus stands as another chapter in Deschamps' complex relationship with the element of surprise. Far from a gimmick, his curated unpredictability has become a tool for managing a notoriously demanding football nation. As he steps before the cameras on Thursday, the 20th-anniversary shadow of Chimbonda lingers, but so does Deschamps' own legacy of moments that have reshaped the French national team's narrative.\n\nBased on reporting from L'Equipe.","news","Didier Deschamps' France squad announcements are rarely dull: from Benzema's 2021 comeback to Kante's shock Euro 2024 recall. His seventh list drops Thursday.","330239899439468545","0","2026-05-14T04:40:00Z","why-deschamps-surprise-picks-matter-for-euro-2024","L'Equipe","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.lequipe.fr\u002FFootball\u002FArticle\u002FDidier-deschamps-n-a-pas-habitue-a-reserver-beaucoup-de-surprises-mais-cela-lui-est-deja-arrive\u002F1675581#at_medium=RSS_feeds","326222711447621632","France",[72,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84],"326257661584609280","326257602465894400","326257536049090560","326222712936599552","326222767416414208","326255038034874368","326255039846813696","326222712043212800","326257695210344448","326222707169431552",[73,86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94,95],"Ukraine","Emmen","Nice","Paraguay","Lesotho","FSV Mainz 05","FK Partizan","Saudi Arabia","Signal","Anderlecht","Why Deschamps' Surprise Picks Matter for Euro 2024",[98,125,155,182],{"awayTeamId":-1,"awayTeamName":-1,"body":-1,"category":64,"excerpt":99,"homeTeamId":-1,"homeTeamName":-1,"id":100,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"matchId":67,"matchName":21,"publishedAt":101,"slug":102,"sourceName":70,"sourceURL":103,"teamId":104,"teamName":105,"teamIds":106,"teamNames":115,"title":124},"Guéla Doué scored and assisted as Ivory Coast beat France 2-1 in a friendly, outshining his brother Désiré who featured for Les Bleus in the sibling showdown.","338200147588550657","2026-06-05T04:00:00Z","guela-doue-downs-brother-s-france-ivorian-2-1-win","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.lequipe.fr\u002FFootball\u002FArticle\u002FUn-but-et-une-passe-decisive-contre-la-france-la-soiree-de-reve-pour-guela-doue-avec-la-cote-d-ivoire\u002F1681944#at_medium=RSS_feeds","326222712533946368","Ivory Coast",[104,72,107,108,109,79,110,111,112,113,114,84],"326255037997125632","326257536145559552","326222711401484288","326257536078450688","326257536296554496","326257537865224192","326257686389723136","326257535994564608",[105,73,116,117,118,90,119,120,121,122,123,95],"Strasbourg","Rennes","Belgium","Paris Saint Germain","Auxerre","Estoril","Together","Nantes","Guéla Doué downs brother's France: Ivorian 2-1 win",{"awayTeamId":126,"awayTeamName":127,"body":-1,"category":64,"excerpt":128,"homeTeamId":129,"homeTeamName":130,"id":131,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"matchId":132,"matchName":133,"publishedAt":134,"slug":135,"sourceName":136,"sourceURL":137,"teamId":129,"teamName":130,"teamIds":138,"teamNames":146,"title":154},"326222712622026752","South Africa","Shakira & Burna Boy sing 'Dai Dai' at 2026 World Cup opener June 11 in Mexico City, with J Balvin, Tyla. Buble, Morissette, Perry, Future lead other ceremonies.","326222711908995072","Mexico","338120887364489217","327115024327774208","Mexico vs South Africa","2026-06-04T22:48:54Z","shakira-burna-boy-to-open-2026-world-cup-in-mexico","BBC Sport","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Fsport\u002Ffootball\u002Farticles\u002Fc8939ykg3qgo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss",[129,126,78,139,140,84,141,142,143,144,145],"326222713142120448","326257593007738880","326222713016291328","326257563345620992","326257565195309056","326222711623782400","326257791226351616",[130,127,89,147,148,95,149,150,151,152,153],"Canada","Azteca","USA","Heracles","Barcelona","Colombia","Nigeria","Shakira, Burna Boy to Open 2026 World Cup in Mexico",{"awayTeamId":156,"awayTeamName":157,"body":-1,"category":64,"excerpt":158,"homeTeamId":72,"homeTeamName":73,"id":159,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"matchId":160,"matchName":161,"publishedAt":162,"slug":163,"sourceName":70,"sourceURL":164,"teamId":104,"teamName":105,"teamIds":165,"teamNames":173,"title":181},"326222711783165952","Senegal","France lose first friendly under Deschamps, 2-1 to Ivory Coast in Nantes, revealing defensive issues 10 days before World Cup start vs Senegal.","338126221931974657","327115052106649600","France vs Senegal","2026-06-04T22:34:17Z","bleus-lose-friendly-under-deschamps-2-1-to-ivory-coast","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.lequipe.fr\u002FFootball\u002FArticle\u002FUne-defaite-ni-vraiment-grave-ni-completement-anodine-pour-les-bleus-a-dix-jours-de-leur-entree-en-scene-au-mondial\u002F1681936#at_medium=RSS_feeds",[104,72,156,114,166,78,79,81,167,168,112,169,170,171,172,84],"326257810885054464","326255041625198592","326257536413995008","326257541157752832","326257545754710016","326257554411753472","326257789708013568",[105,73,157,123,174,89,90,92,175,176,121,177,178,179,180,95],"York","Partizani","Paris FC","Galatasaray","Newcastle","Newcastle Jets","China","Bleus Lose Friendly Under Deschamps: 2-1 to Ivory Coast",{"awayTeamId":183,"awayTeamName":184,"body":-1,"category":64,"excerpt":185,"homeTeamId":72,"homeTeamName":73,"id":186,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"matchId":187,"matchName":188,"publishedAt":189,"slug":190,"sourceName":70,"sourceURL":191,"teamId":72,"teamName":73,"teamIds":192,"teamNames":200,"title":208},"326222712819159040","Iraq","Lucas Hernandez: France's 1-2 friendly loss to Ivory Coast is better now than June 16 World Cup opener vs Senegal, with Northern Ireland test next.","338124609578602497","327115069915664384","France vs Iraq","2026-06-04T22:32:57Z","hernandez-france-loss-better-now-than-june-16","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.lequipe.fr\u002FFootball\u002FActualites\u002FLucas-hernandez-apres-la-defaite-1-2-de-la-france-contre-la-cote-d-ivoire\u002F1681942#at_medium=RSS_feeds",[72,183,104,156,193,194,195,112,169,196,197,83,198,199],"326257664243798016","326257535885512704","326222712013852672","326257556060114944","326257565845426176","326257796423094272","326222712898850816",[73,184,105,157,201,202,203,121,177,204,205,94,206,207],"Northern Ireland","Lille","Iran","Estudiantes L.P.","Mallorca","Russia","Qatar","Hernandez: France Loss Better Now Than June 16"]