Tottenham Hotspur striker Randal Kolo Muani withdrew from France squad for World Cup qualifiers due to jaw injury sustained in Manchester United match.
Randal Kolo Muani, the Tottenham Hotspur striker, has withdrawn from the France squad for this month’s World Cup qualifiers due to a jaw injury sustained in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United.
The French Football Federation (FFF) confirmed the news on Sunday, citing the injury as the reason for his withdrawal.
Kolo Muani was substituted at halftime in the Manchester United match, and initial reports suggested the injury was not serious. However, scans revealed a jaw fracture, forcing him to withdraw from the France squad. Manager Thomas Frank initially downplayed the injury, but it appears to be more severe than initially thought.
The FFF statement read: “The Tottenham Hotspur striker suffered an injury to his lower jaw on Saturday against Manchester United. After consulting with doctor Franck Le Gall, who had previously spoken with his Tottenham counterpart, Didier Deschamps confirmed that Kolo Muani would be withdrawing from the squad.”
RC Lens winger Florian Thauvin has been called in as a replacement for Kolo Muani. The 26-year-old has nine goals in 31 appearances for France and had been called up for the first time since June.
France, currently top of Group D with 10 points from four matches, will host Ukraine at the Parc des Princes on Thursday, followed by a trip to Azerbaijan three days later. A win over Ukraine would secure their qualification for the 2026 World Cup in North America.
