France Confirms Marcus Thuram's Absence, N'Golo Kanté Doubtful for Sweden World Cup Clash

France's national team head coach Didier Deschamps confirmed on June 29 that forward Marcus Thuram will miss the upcoming World Cup round of 16 match against Sweden due to a muscle strain injury. Thuram, the 28-year-old Inter Milan player who scored 13 goals last season, has only managed to play one minute in the tournament so far and is not fit to take part in Tuesday's 23:00 kickoff.

Deschamps also expressed uncertainty regarding midfielder N'Golo Kanté's availability, stating it might be "too tight" for him to start, noting that Kanté has yet to see any game time in the tournament. Kanté currently plays for Turkish club Fenerbahce. The coach mentioned he had not communicated with Kanté recently about his condition.

Despite these absences, both Thuram and Kanté are regarded as reserve players in France's star-studded squad, minimizing the expected impact on the team. France is likely to field a lineup featuring key players such as goalkeeper Mike Maignan, Kylian Mbappé, and Ousmane Dembélé.

The confirmation of Thuram's unavailability and Kanté's doubtful status comes as France prepares to face Sweden in this crucial knockout stage encounter, where the team aims to advance further in the tournament.