Didier Deschamps has announced that, as Kylian Mbappé (25) won't be playing, N'Golo Kanté (33) will be captain for France against Israel in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday.

This is the second time in a row that captain Mbappé hasn't been picked for the Les Bleus squad. Antoine Griezmann, who was vice-captain, surprised everyone by announcing his retirement from international football earlier this season. Aurélien Tchouaméni, who wore the armband during the last international break, is out through injury.

Deschamps had to make a decision for the match against Israel. In a statement ahead of the Nations League match, the France manager confirmed that former Leicester City and Chelsea midfielder Kanté will be the captain for the game.

"Yes, he's the captain. He's got plenty of experience. N'Golo doesn't tend to speak a lot, but he's always been a natural leader and a real driving force. "He knows the group inside out and has been a leader for years, but knowing him, it won't change how he is," said Deschamps at a press conference on Wednesday.

Kanté briefly wore the armband during the September international break, as well as briefly at Euro 2024. It's not yet clear whether the Al-Ittihad midfielder will continue to captain the side when they play Israel at the Parc des Princes on Friday. It might be that he'll be replaced for the match against Italy on Sunday.