France have lost two promising attacking players, as Mamadou Diakhon (20) and Mohamed Kader Meité (18) have both committed their international futures to Senegal and the Ivory Coast, respectively.
Diakhon was even called up for the France U21 side this month. The Club Brugge forward was included in Gérald Baticle’s list before then appearing in Senegal’s list, announced just minutes later. Confusion quickly gave way to clarity when, in a publication, Diakhon confirmed that he would represent the African nation.
Meanwhile, Kader Meité has made a similar choice. The Stade Rennais academy product made the move to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia during the winter transfer window. However, he has since struggled for gametime, playing just 15 minutes in the league.
The 18-year-old had already featured for France’s U21s on three occasions, but henceforth, he will represent the Ivory Coast. It is a blow for Les Bleus who have lost two highly-rated attacking options.
