Florian Thauvin Returns to French National Team After Six-Year Hiatus
Florian Thauvin makes a surprising return to the French national football team after six years, replacing injured Bradley Barcola and aiming to bolster France's World Cup qualifying campaign.
- • Florian Thauvin returns after six years away from the French national team.
- • He replaces injured forward Bradley Barcola.
- • Thauvin scored a memorable bicycle kick goal in June 2019, his last international appearance.
- • His recent strong form at RC Lens aided his recall.
- • He aims to earn his eleventh cap in upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Key details
Florian Thauvin has been recalled to the French national football team after a notable six-year absence, marking a surprising but welcome return to the squad. The announcement was made on October 6, 2025, by coach Didier Deschamps, who called Thauvin up to replace Bradley Barcola, sidelined with chronic hamstring problems.
Thauvin, who is currently playing for RC Lens, last appeared for France in June 2019 during a Euro 2020 qualifier against Andorra. During that match, he scored his only international goal, a spectacular bicycle kick assisted by Kylian Mbappé, before the Euro tournament was postponed due to the pandemic. Since then, he has not featured for Les Bleus, making his return all the more striking especially given the highly competitive nature of the French team.
After remaining at Marseille until 2021 and spending a period playing in Mexico alongside André-Pierre Gignac, Thauvin experienced a career resurgence, notably with Udinese and recently with Lens. This revival in form helped facilitate his unexpected but well-earned recall 77 matches later, setting a record for the longest gap between caps for France.
At 32 years old, Florian Thauvin is now targeting his eleventh cap as France prepares for critical World Cup qualifying matches against Azerbaijan on October 10 and Iceland on October 13. His return is timely, as the French squad navigates player availability challenges, including tensions involving PSG and the French Football Federation concerning player management.
Thauvin’s comeback underscores his enduring talent and determination to contribute to the national team’s bid for the 2026 World Cup, offering the squad fresh options and experience in attack.