Injured adductors, Tchouameni out against Paraguay and uncertain for quarterfinal

Aurélien Tchouameni is ruled out of the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup between France and Paraguay on Saturday in Philadelphia. The Real Madrid midfielder is suffering from an adductor injury sustained during Friday’s training session, confirmed by MRI scan. Didier Deschamps decided to take no risks with one of his key players.

The injury extends beyond the Paraguay match alone. According to L’Équipe, the injury “requires a minimum healing time” that makes participation in a potential quarterfinal on July 9 “highly uncertain”. Les Bleus could therefore face two consecutive knockout matches without their starting defensive midfielder.

Tchouameni, 25, has been one of the pillars of Deschamps’ setup for several years. His absence forces the manager to reshape the French midfield at the moment when the competition enters its decisive phase. No clarification has been provided on which player will be called upon to replace him in the centre.