The French national football team has been battling a virus outbreak ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final match against Argentina. Both of France’s starting center-backs have been affected, thereby bringing their availability for the final into question.
Raphael Varane is experiencing mild symptoms of the virus while fellow first-choice center-back Ibrahima Konate has not left his room since contracting the virus. The pair were among the five players who missed training two days ahead of the World Cup final. Dayot Upamecano, Adrien Rabiot, and Kingsley Coman also contracted the virus and missed training as a result.
Coach Didier Deschamps confirmed that the teaming is taking precautions to prevent the spread of the virus to the entire French camp.
“In Doha, temperatures have fallen a little bit, you have air conditioning which is on all the time,” Deschamps said following France’s semifinal win over Morocco. “We’ve had a few cases of flu-like symptoms. We are trying to be careful so it doesn’t spread, and players have made great efforts out on the pitch and obviously their immune systems suffer.”
