Injured Mbappé left out of France squad for Nations League games

PARIS (AP) — Kylian Mbappé has been left out of France's squad for Nations League games as he continues his recovery from a minor hamstring injury.

Although Mbappé went on as a second-half substitute in Real Madrid's 1-0 loss at Lille in the Champions League on Wednesday night, France coach Didier Deschamps said he took the decision to leave him out after talking to his captain.

“I discussed things with Kylian. He has a problem which isn't serious," Deschamps said. "I'm not here to take risks, which is why Kylian is not in the list.”

France is away to Israel on Oct. 10 and travels to play Belgium four days later.

Deschamps said Mbappé, who has 48 goals for France, was not his usual self in the previous international round of matches, where he failed to score against Belgium and Italy. That took his international scoring drought to five games.

“He wasn't in the best condition mentally,” Deschamps said. “But I don't have the slightest doubt about his commitment.”

Veteran midfielder N’Golo Kanté was also absent from the squad because of a minor adductor injury.

For the first time in 10 years, Deschamps did not include Antoine Griezmann after the Atletico Madrid forward announced his retirement from international soccer.

“He's a very endearing and generous person, a leader on the field,” Deschamps said. “Obviously a page is turning.”

Griezmann scored 44 goals and had a national record 30 assists for Les Bleus in 137 matches.

“Antoine has reached the age where you experience physical and psychological fatigue," Deschamps said. "He took this decision and he stands by it, in the sense that it wasn't enforced.”

Bayern Munich's new signing Michael Olise and Chelsea's Christopher Nkunku could get more playing time.

France

Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (West Ham), Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Brice Simba (Lens)

Defenders: Jonathan Clauss (Nice), Lucas Digne (Aston Villa), Wesley Fofana (Chelsea), Théo Hernandez (AC Milan), Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool), Jules Koundé (Barcelona), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)

Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), Youssouf Fofana (AC Milan), Mattéo Guendouzi (Lazio), Manu Koné (Roma), Aurélien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid), Warren Zaïre-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain)

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

FILE - France's Kylian Mbappe, left, and Antoine Griezmann sing their national anthem before the World Cup final soccer match between Argentina and France at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, Sunday, Dec.18, 2022. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, File)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, center dribbles the ball during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Lille and Real Madrid at the Stade Pierre Mauroy in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, outside Lille, France, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

A Ukrainian drone strike killed one person and wounded three others in the Russian city of Voronezh, local officials said Sunday.

A young woman died overnight in a hospital intensive care unit after debris from a drone fell on a house during the attack on Saturday, regional Gov. Alexander Gusev said on Telegram.

Three other people were wounded and more than 10 apartment buildings, private houses and a high school were damaged, he said, adding that air defenses shot down 17 drones over Voronezh. The city is home to just over 1 million people and lies some 250 kilometers (155 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

The attack came the day after Russia bombarded Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles overnight into Friday, killing at least four people in the capital Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials.

For only the second time in the nearly four-year war, Russia used a powerful new hypersonic missile that struck western Ukraine in a clear warning to Kyiv and NATO.

The intense barrage and the launch of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile followed reports of major progress in talks between Ukraine and its allies on how to defend the country from further aggression by Moscow if a U.S.-led peace deal is struck.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday in his nightly address that Ukrainian negotiators “continue to communicate with the American side.”

Chief negotiator Rustem Umerov was in contact with U.S. partners Saturday, he said.

Separately, Ukraine’s General Staff said Russia targeted Ukraine with 154 drones overnight into Sunday and 125 were shot down.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

This photo provided by the Ukrainian Security Service on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, shows a fragment believed to be a part of a Russian Oreshnik intermediate range hypersonic ballistic missile that hit the Lviv region. (Ukrainian Security Service via AP)

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, second left, listens to British Defense Secretary John Healey during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Danylo Antoniuk)