West Ham United goalkeeper Alphonse Areola is set for heartbreak this evening as he’ll miss out on a place in France’s squad for the World Cup.
Le Parisien report that the West Ham goalkeeper will not be selected as the third goalkeeper in the squad. Instead that will go to Robin Risser.
West Ham man misses out
The newspaper explains that Robin Risser has been a ‘revelation’ with Lens this season. He was the recent winner of the UNFP Ligue 1 Goalkeeper of the Year award as a result.
Now he’s expected to be included in Didier Deschamp’s squad for the World Cup. That will be announced on Thursday evening. The 21-year-old is seemingly preferred to West Ham’s Alphonse Areola.
According to Le Parisien’s sources, Risser will be third in the pecking order behind Mike Maignan and Brice Samba. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Lens goalkeeper has been preferred to the West Ham goalkeeper.
That’s despite the Hammers stopper having greater experience at the highest level and extensive experience with the French national team.
It is his lack of playing time in recent months that has swayed Deschamps’ thinking though. Areola hasn’t played for West Ham since January 31st and that has ‘taken its toll’ on the French team, who have held ‘long deliberations’ about the matter.
He’s not the only one to miss out due to a lack of playing time. Paris Saint-Germain’s Lucas Chevalier will also be left out due to the same issue.
Big year for Risser
Risser will instead be the chosen one, capping off a big year for him. He has already admitted playing for France would be wonderful. And he’s been linked to the Premier League too.
“Of course, I hope to play for the French national team one day,” he said.
“If it’s this summer, it will be a wonderful surprise, but if it’s later, it will be just as pleasing. Is it something I’m thinking about? Honestly, not really.
“There’s a national team coach there to make the choices. If someone had told me a year ago that I’d be on Coach Deschamps’ shortlist four months before the World Cup, I wouldn’t have believed it. It’s flattering, but I leave that to others; I don’t pay attention to what people say.”
