Antoine Griezmann will be absent from two matches for the French national team against Germany and Chile during the March FIFA Days, marking the end of his current consecutive appearances record. Griezmann, a consistent favorite on Didier Deschamps’ selection list, is unable to participate in these friendly matches due to an ankle injury, which is the first time he will miss a squad since November 2016.

Though initially included in Deschamps’ squad, Griezmann played only 45 minutes in Atletico Madrid’s 0-3 loss to Barcelona before the medical staff at Clairefontaine ruled out his ability to play. Deschamps acknowledged Griezmann’s ankle issue, which persisted despite his short appearance on the field, and expressed the challenge of finding a suitable replacement, prompting a reorganization of the team.

Prior to this absence, Griezmann had played in 84 consecutive matches for Les Bleus since a friendly against England in June 2017, where he was an unused substitute. The 32-year-old forward has scored 44 goals in 127 appearances for the French national team since his debut in 2014, consistently performing well and playing a pivotal role in reaching the final of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

This season, Griezmann has been in excellent form, contributing 19 goals and 7 assists in 38 appearances across all competitions, leading Atletico Madrid to the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. Deschamps has called up former Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi as a replacement, who was previously excluded from the squad since the World Cup but has been performing well while playing for Lazio.

Deschamps also has other injury concerns to address, including defender Ibrahima Konate, who is a major doubt after missing the last three matches for Liverpool. The matches against Germany, the hosts of EURO 2024, on March 23 in Lyon, and against Chile three days later in Marseille, serve as the final preparations for France ahead of the upcoming summer tournament.

France, known as the team in blue, will commence EURO 2024 on June 17 in Dusseldorf against Austria. The Netherlands poses as the biggest opponent in Group D, while the remaining position in the group will be determined through the playoff series.