Alphonse Areola is set to miss out on France’s World Cup squad, with Didier Deschamps expected to name Robin Risser as the third goalkeeper when the roster is announced Thursday evening. Le Parisien reported that Areola will not be chosen for one of the three goalkeeper spots, leaving the West Ham veteran on the outside as France closes in on its final selection.
Risser, 21, has turned a breakthrough season with Lens into a late push into the france world cup squad conversation. Described as a revelation, he won the UNFP Ligue 1 Goalkeeper of the Year award and is now expected to sit behind Mike Maignan and Brice Samba in the goalkeeping pecking order. For a player who has not played for West Ham since January 31, Areola’s recent lack of minutes has weighed heavily against him, even with his greater experience at the highest level and with the French national team.
The decision comes as France finalizes its World Cup group and one of the clearest unresolved calls has been the third goalkeeper position. Le Parisien said the choice has been the subject of long deliberations, and the timing matters because Deschamps is expected to make the announcement on Thursday evening, four months before the World Cup. Paris Saint-Germain’s Lucas Chevalier will also be left out because of a lack of playing time, underscoring how sharply recent form has shaped the discussion.
Risser has not talked like a player preparing to force his way into the national team picture. “Of course, I hope to play for the French national team one day,” he said, adding, “If it’s this summer, it will be a wonderful surprise, but if it’s later, it will be just as pleasing.” He said he was not really thinking about it and noted that there is “a national team coach there to make the choices.”
That restraint has only made the rise more striking. “If someone had told me a year ago that I’d be on Coach Deschamps’ shortlist four months before the World Cup, I wouldn’t have believed it,” Risser said. “It’s flattering, but I leave that to others; I don’t pay attention to what people say.” He has also already been linked to the Premier League, another sign that his profile is rising quickly as Deschamps settles on his final france world cup squad. The bigger story now is whether experience or momentum wins out when the coach makes his call.
