- Title: Giroud makes France squad, Ben Arfa among reserves
- Date: 12th May 2016
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (FILE - (NOVEMBER 12, 2015) (REUTERS) DESCHAMPS WALKING ONTO PITCH WITH TEAM FOR TRAINING ANTHONY MARTIAL TRAINING PAUL POGBA TRAINING TEAM ON PITCH FOR TRAINING ANTOINE GRIEZMANN SMILING TEAM TRAINING OLIVIER GIROUD TRAINING
- Embargoed: 27th May 2016 21:14
- Keywords: Soccer Euro France squad team Deschamps Giroud Ben Arfa
- Location: PARIS, LYON AND NICE, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, LYON AND NICE, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0024HI8M67
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: France coach Didier Deschamps picked seasoned striker Olivier Giroud on Thursday (May 12) for his 23-man squad for the European soccer Championship, which France will host, naming in-form forward Hatem Ben Arfa only as a reserve.
Giroud, recovering from a lean spell at Arsenal with a strong finish to the Premier League season, is one of six strikers in the squad alongside Antoine Griezmann, Dimitri Payet, Antony Martial, Kingsley Coman and Andre-Pierre Gignac.
"I don't have particular work to do with Olivier and when you look at the tally from his season there's the first part and the second and of course counting the four goals he scored for France he's on 25. That's not nothing," Deschamps told a news conference after unveiling the squad on French television channel TF1.
Ben Arfa, enjoying the most prolific season of his career with 17 goals for surprise Ligue 1 package Nice, is one of eight reserves who need a player to pull out injured to hope for a place in the final squad.
"You're right Hatem Ben Arfa is playing a very good season in Nice. There are other players too who have had a really great season who have played in the French team. I had to make some difficult choices, notably amongst the forwards," Deschamps said.
Karim Benzema will miss the June 10-July 10 tournament after a ban for his involvement in an alleged blackmail scandal was upheld by the French federation last month. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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