The current football season sees its last international break as several players from Tottenham Hotspur depart to represent their respective national teams.
Yet, Spurs’ central midfielder Yves Bissouma was notably excluded from Mali’s recent squad selection.
According to the Lilywhites correspondent, Alasdair Gold, on the Football London website, Bissouma expressed his frustration over the decision and reportedly unfollowed the country’s football association on Instagram.
The 27-year-old has erased all references to playing for his country from his social media account.
Mali recently announced their 28-man squad for the upcoming international break, which includes matches against Mauritania and Nigeria in March. However, Tottenham’s Bissouma was absent from the roster.
Head coach Eric Chelle recently addressed the media regarding the decision to omit Bissouma from the squad, indicating that he has chosen other players whom he views as more reliable options for the current squad. Chelle stated:
“Like many players, he deserves to be selected, it’s just a choice. In my diamond there are players right now who are slightly safer. That doesn’t mean he won’t be called again.”
Bissouma’s most recent involvement with his national team occurred just last month when he courageously played through malaria as a substitute for thirty minutes in Mali’s quarter-final defeat in the Africa Cup of Nations against the eventual winners, Ivory Coast.
Chelle provided an update in a post-match interview, disclosing that Bissouma played in that game despite grappling with malaria. Additionally, he started two games in the whole tournament.
The defensive midfielder has been a regular feature otherwise in Ange Postecoglou’s team, having made 20 Premier League appearances while starting in 19 of them in the ongoing season. (Transfermarkt)
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