Conflict between PSG and the Football Federation: Barcola leaves the French national team

French winger Bradley Barcola of Paris Saint-Germain has left the national team camp, sparking a new wave of tension between the Paris club and the French Football Federation.

The 23-year-old player was called up by Didier Deschamps for the October World Cup 2026 qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Iceland. However, upon his arrival in Clairefontaine, the national team’s medical staff, led by Dr. Franck Le Gall, diagnosed him with a “chronic injury to the right hamstring.” As a result, Barcola was released from duty, and Florian Thauvin took his place in the squad.

The decision provoked mixed reactions, especially since France had already suffered several attacking losses — Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, and Marcus Thuram were all sidelined due to injuries. Deschamps tried to calm the situation, stressing:
“I’m not going to risk the players’ health.”

However, PSG reacted with surprise to the Federation’s statements. In an official release, the club emphasized that the published information “does not correspond in any way to the medical data transmitted to the French Federation before the player’s call-up.” According to PSG, medical examinations conducted after the match against Atalanta revealed no chronic issues for Barcola.

The club also reminded about the importance of maintaining medical confidentiality and expressed regret that the player’s health details became a matter of public discussion.