Midfielder Aurelién Tchouaméni was left out of the starting lineup for France’s second Group I match at the 2026 World Cup against Iraq.
The Real Madrid midfielder played the full 90 as France beat Senegal 3–1 in its opening match on June 16; however, he was not included in Didier Deschamps’s starting squad for the clash with Iraq, reportedly taking a breather after suffering from an undisclosed knock. He was unable to train with his teammates in the buildup to the game.