Ibrahima Konate withdraws from France squad, Leny Yoro gets call-up
Real Madrid defender Ibrahima Konate has left the France camp with a knee injury ahead of Zinedine Zidane's debut, with Manchester United's Leny Yoro called up as his replacement.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Author: Steffen Prößdorf
Ibrahima Konate will miss France's upcoming international fixtures, marking a difficult start for Zinedine Zidane as manager. The 27-year-old defender suffered a minor sprain to his right knee during a training session on Wednesday, forcing him to withdraw from the national team camp.
Konate is set to return to Madrid on Thursday, where the club's medical staff will oversee his rehabilitation to ensure a swift recovery. The centre-back was eager to make an impression under the new coaching regime but will now focus on his return to fitness.
In his absence, the French coaching staff has promoted 20-year-old Leny Yoro to the senior setup. The Manchester United defender, who was already at the Clairefontaine base with the U21 squad, has been drafted in as a direct replacement. This marks a major milestone for the former Lille standout, providing him an opportunity to impress Zidane at the senior level.
The squad changes come just days before Zidane's highly anticipated managerial debut. France is currently finalizing preparations for a critical UEFA Nations League match against Turkey this Friday.