Giroud has played 211 minutes for Chelsea this season, with Tammy Abraham first-choice. But, ahead of their Euro 2020 qualifiers with Moldova, Deschamps says he has full faith in the player.

Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has revealed he could return to action as early as January as he continues his recovery from a dislocated elbow sustained in October's 3-0 defeat to Brighton.

Calls have been growing for the in-form Real Madrid striker to earn his first call-up since 2015 in recent weeks. But Le Graet is determined that the 31-year-old will not be seen in a Les Bleus shirt again.

Toni Kroos scored twice as Germany secured their place at Euro 2020 with a resounding 4-0 win over Belarus, which leaves Joachim Low's side top of Group C ahead of second placed Netherlands.

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has threatened to switch his international allegiance after not being called up to the French squad again.

Portugal booked their place at Euro 2020 with a hard-fought 2-0 victory at Luxembourg.

Cristiano Ronaldo took his career tally to 99 international goals on Sunday as Portugal qualified for the 2020 European Championship with a 2-0 win against Luxembourg.

Kylian Mbappe's father has defended his son after he received criticism for his performance for France in their 2-1 victory against Moldova on Thursday.

ALBANIA 0-2 FRANCE: Corentin Tolisso and Antoine Griezmann scored as France beat Albania 2-0 to secure top spot in Euro 2020 qualifying group H.

Benzema's hopes of a return to the France fold were shot down by its FA president Noel Le Graet last week. Calls had been growing for the in-form Madrid striker to earn his first call-up since 2015.

CHRIS WHEELER IN FRANKFURT: A hat-trick from former Arsenal player Serge Gnabry sank Northern Ireland as their Group C campaign ended with a heavy defeat in Frankfurt.

Former Germany manager Jurgen Klinsmann has tipped attackers Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane to light up Euro 2020 next summer.

PETE JENSON: Zinedine Zidane may have been able to reignite the debate on whether France are foolish to overlook in-form Karim Benzema - but it would take something huge to bring change.

The Court of Cassation, the highest-ranked court in the French justice system, assembled on Monday afternoon with 19 magistrates to try and settle a case which first emerged four years ago.

Substitute Nemanja Radonjic scored a fine last-minute winner as second-placed Marseille beat Brest 2-1 to move five points behind French league leader Paris Saint-Germain on Friday.

Didier Deschamps will therefore get the chance to oversee France's attempt at defending their World Cup crown in three years' time after they beat Croatia 4-2 in the final in Russia last year.

Didier Deschamps has urged Olivier Giroud to leave Chelsea to secure a spot in France's Euro 2020 squad. Giroud started up-front as Deschamps guided France to World Cup glory in 2018.

Bordeaux have joined Inter Milan in the race to sign Chelsea striker Giroud. The Ligue 1 side are interested in a loan deal for the 33-year-old, who has been given the go-ahead to leave in January,

Lionel Messi missed out on top spot after injuries, Cristiano Ronaldo closed in on a remarkable international feat and Raheem Sterling was deadly - who have 2019's most prolific strikers been?

Olivier Giroud remains an important part of Didier Deschamps' plans for France ahead of the Euros later this year, but has admitted his lack of current playing time at Chelsea is of huge concern.

EXCLUSIVE BY SAMI MOKBEL: The Spurs captain has been missing since sustaining a serious elbow injury in the 3-0 loss to Brighton in October but he has now returned to light training.

Brazil star Neymar, who joined PSG from Barcelona for £198million back in August 2017, is by far the division's top earner - pocketing around £2.6million a month before tax.

French winger Ousmane Dembele is out for six months and will play no part at the European Championships this summer after Barcelona revealed his condition following surgery. 

Giroud was a target for a number of sides during the January transfer window including Inter Milan, Lazio and Tottenham Hotspur having fallen out of favour at Stamford Bridge.

SPECIAL REPORT BY DANIEL MATTHEWS IN LYON: To many in France, the 32-year-old is a footballing pariah. At Real Madrid, however, Benzema is approaching immortality.

INTERVIEW BY JOE BERNSTEIN: Everton's Djibril Sidibe is thrilled to be on the most prized WhatsApp group in sport. He was a member of France's 2018 World Cup winning squad

Euro 2020 and all its preparations immediately take the focus once the domestic campaigns end. But this year the European Championship will also be followed by the Olympics in Tokyo.

As fans across Europe gear up for another summer of agony and ecstasy while wearing their country's shirts proudly, here are five of the best kits in Euros history to get you going.

As far as bizarre injury treatments go, Marseille striker Dario Benedetto's remedy for a head injury sustained against Amiens is right up there. The Argentine was bizarrely given a swimming cap.

The EFL has announced a £50million short-term relief package to assist cash-strapped clubs during the coronavirus crisis. An emergency meeting has outlined how things shall be handled going forward.

Karim Benzema has taken a swipe at Olivier Giroud, implying the Chelsea striker who replaced him in the France national team is an inferior player.  The 32-year-old has not played for Les Blues since 2015.

Benzema used an unflattering motor racing analogy to describe the perceived difference in quality between himself and Chelsea striker Giroud, who replaced him in the France team.

Benzema took a swipe at Giroud as the 'go-kart' to his 'Formula One' to describe what he believes is a difference in quality between himself and Giroud, who replaced him in the France team.

Zinedine Zidane was sensationally shown red in the 2006 World Cup final after headbutting Italy defender Marco Materazzi in extra time. Fabio Cannavaro went on to lift the trophy in Berlin.

Pinot Gris is the same grape as Pinot Grigio, but handled in a different way by the wine-grower. With lower yields and a longer time hanging on the vines, it develops bigger flavours and fuller texture

As a rule, I don't like to beg, but in this instance I am desperate, so: if you understood The Pale Horse could you please, please offer an explanation and tell me what the hell went on?

The Brits must strike a balance between male and female, black and white, sales and excellence. In the 40th edition, they fell at the first hurdle.

It's rare that a prequel matches its progenitor, but Better Call Saul has gradually, at times achingly slo-o-o-wly, proved the equal of parent show Breaking Bad .

Work hard, make the people happy. That's what Rob Brydon does. There's nothing restless about him like his famous friends

Caroline was a mate of mine. We weren't close friends, but we got on well, frequently met up at showbiz bashes, and exchanged irregular text messages about life and the universe

If armies march on their stomachs, the same is true of the politicians who send them into war. Winston Churchill wouldn't have been half the man he was without the food made for him by his resident cook.

House Of Glass flows with the amazing clarity and delicacy of a fine novel. By the end, I was completely wrapped up in the sharply contrasting characters of the Glass family

Keira Knightley's new film, Misbehaviour, is the true story of what happened when Britain's first feminists took the fight for women's rights all the way to the final of the Miss World competition in 1970

John Entwistle, the virtuoso bass player in The Who known as The Ox, had a reputation as 'The Quiet One.' Behind the cool-headed appearance, however, was a legendary rock 'n' roll hellraiser

Herbert von Karajan, who died in 1989, shifted 200 million albums - an astonishing figure for a classical musician.

Heartbreak can be the best teacher, as arts journalist Alice Vincent learns in her hopeful memoir of self-discovery and horticulture.

Spring is round the corner, and it's time to crack open the scented whites. While some grapes have the aromatic impact of a ram raid on the Duty Free perfume counter, others are more subtle

Fans can exhale - the final instalment of Mantel's trilogy is a cracker: powerful, propulsive and amply worth the eight-year wait. Despite topping 900 pages, it spans just four years.

A London transfer for Richard Eyre's entertaining production of the Noël Coward comedy starring a splendid Jennifer Saunders.

The latest domestic thriller is Flesh And Blood , and already it's getting mixed up in my head with Liar, Cheat, Trust Me, Trauma, Gold Digger , etc. Their formats are so similar