Akliouche gets first call-up by France for World Cup qualifiers but Ekitike misses out

PARIS (AP) — Maghnes Akliouche received a first call-up by France for its upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and Iceland but there was no place in the squad for in-form Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old Akliouche is an attacking midfielder for Monaco who was a member of France's squad at the Olympic football tournament on home soil last year and has played in his country's youth teams.

He was one of seven forwards called up by Didier Deschamps as France gets ready to start its World Cup qualifying campaign.

The list didn't include the 23-year-old Ekitike, who has established himself as the starting striker at Liverpool and has scored in each of his first three games for the Premier League champions following an offseason move from Eintracht Frankfurt.

Star players Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele were selected, as expected, while center back William Saliba returns after missing the Nations League finals because of injury over the summer.

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