Kurt Zouma’s international career has been unofficially ended by Didier Deschamps, who has effectively tossed away the West Ham player.
Kurt Zouma was a starter for France under Didier Deschamps when he signed for West Ham from Chelsea for £29 million.
However, following the now-infamous cat kicking saga, he was soon shunned by his national team’s federation.
Deschamps, who has now publicly defended and supported Paul Pogba, slammed the Hammers defender when the news came and has kept him out of France’s squad ever since.
Deschamps turned his back on Zouma after cat-kicking saga
“I was very surprised by Kurt,” Deschamps said at the time (Sport Bible).
“This is something that is inadmissible, intolerable and cruelty without a name. I’m sure he became aware of it but these images are shocking and unbearable.”
The France manager added: “I’m not a prosecutor. I am here to make selections on different criteria. It could have happened to me when players could have made mistakes not to select them for a while, so I will not change my way of doing things for the next list.”
Zouma has repeatedly apologized and stated that he had hoped to be recalled by France for the World Cup last winter.
That was not to be, as Deschamps disregarded the West Ham player despite persistent injury problems in defense.
After another 11 months, many assumed Zouma had fulfilled his France penance.
Zouma has been a tower of strength for West Ham, where he is a very popular character, after traversing a gauntlet of hatred – which lingers at some grounds and from certain journalists even now.
So much so that David Moyes has appointed him as Declan Rice’s replacement as club captain – quite a statement given everything that has happened.
Manager unofficially ends West Ham star’s international career as Kurt Zouma is well and truly cast aside by Didier Deschamps
But Zouma clearly doesn’t have the same kind of backing from his national team chief.
Because the manager has unofficially ended the West Ham star’s international career as Zouma is well and truly cast aside by Deschamps.
France are set for games against Holland and Scotland during the October international break.
And there had been whispers West Ham captain Zouma might get a long-awaited reprieve as a result of a French defensive injury crisis.
William Saliba, Jules Kounde and Dayot Upamecano have all pulled out of Deschamps’ France squad within the last 24 hours.
As a result, Chelsea’s Axel Disasi was called up as a replacement. But he too has withdrawn with an injury.
Snub despite massive injury crisis surely spells the end of Zouma’s France career for good
Step forward West Ham’s experienced man mountain Zouma many might have thought? Not a chance it would seem.
Because uncapped 20-year-old Castello Lukeba has been called up instead as confirmed by the likes of Get French Football News.
So much for second chances.
If Zouma cannot win his place back despite being a European champion, Hammers captain and one of West Ham’s most consistent performers in the best league in the world – all against the backdrop of the glut of France injuries – then his international career appears very much all but officially over.
Not that West Ham fans or Moyes might be too concerned.
While it would have been great for the player, Zouma will at least get spells of sustained rest rather than risk overdoing things at international level given his injury history.
One West Ham man who will be in Deschamps’ squad is Alphonse Areola.
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