France's football federation has called for the national team's neutrality to be respected and for Les Bleus to not be politicised amid heightened uncertainty over elections back home as the side prepare to launch their Euro 2024 campaign.
French President Emmanuel Macron made a shock announcement a week ago when he called snap parliamentary elections for later this month after he was trounced in the European Union vote by Marine Le Pen's far-right party.
The move plunged France into political uncertainty and has roiled financial markets, with Macron's gamble offering the far-right a shot at real political power that could weaken his presidency three years before it ends.
France launch their Euro 2024 campaign against Austria in Duesseldorf on Monday and players were pressed by media almost daily last week for their opinions on the elections.
The federation said all players were able to express their views freely.
"The French Football Federation joins the necessary call to vote, a democratic requirement. It also wants its neutrality as an institution, as well as that of the national team for which it is responsible, to be understood and respected by all," it said in a statement late on Saturday.
"As such, it is necessary to avoid any form of pressure and political use of the France team."
Read moreFrance star Thuram takes stand against far right ahead of elections
The statement came hours after French forward Marcus Thuram urged people in France to "fight daily" to prevent the far-right National Rally (RN) from gaining power, describing the situation as "very serious", echoing Macron's words from a day earlier.
"We must go and vote we must tell everyone around the world to go vote and above all, it is necessary as a citizen whether it is you or it is me, we must fight on a daily basis so that this does not happen again," he said of the far-right's gains.
Opinion polls project RN could for the first time top the June 30 and July 7 vote, but short of an absolute majority to govern alone.
French winger Ousmane Dembele had earlier said "the alarm bell, I think it has been sounded," and urged people to mobilise and vote, as did team mate Olivier Giroud, who said there had been no impact on the team's preparation from the political situation.
(Reuters)
