West Ham United goalkeeper Alphonse Areola is reportedly set to suffer World Cup disappointment after being left out of France national football team’s final squad.
According to Le Parisien, France manager Didier Deschamps has decided against selecting the West Ham goalkeeper as his third-choice option for the tournament.
Instead, the place is expected to go to highly-rated Robin Risser following his impressive campaign with RC Lens.
Alphonse Areola set for France squad disappointment
Reports in France state that Risser’s performances this season have convinced Deschamps to hand the 21-year-old a surprise World Cup opportunity.
The Lens goalkeeper recently won the UNFP Ligue 1 Goalkeeper of the Year award after emerging as one of the revelations of the French domestic season.
Le Parisien claim Risser is now expected to travel to the World Cup as France’s third goalkeeper behind Mike Maignanand Brice Samba.
That decision reportedly means heartbreak for Areola despite his significant international experience and previous involvement with the national team setup.
Having followed West Ham’s goalkeeping situation closely this season, Areola’s lack of recent game time increasingly appeared likely to become a major problem ahead of squad selection.
The goalkeeper has not played competitively for West Ham since January 31st, with reports suggesting France’s coaching staff held lengthy internal discussions over whether that inactivity could be ignored.
Ultimately, it appears Deschamps has decided it cannot.
Lack of minutes proved decisive
Le Parisien suggest Areola’s absence from regular football “took its toll” during the final decision-making process.
The France staff reportedly prioritised current rhythm and form over experience when finalising the goalkeeper group for the tournament.
Lucas Chevalier of Paris Saint-Germain F.C. is also expected to miss out for similar reasons.
For Risser, meanwhile, the expected call-up would complete an extraordinary rise over the last year.
The young goalkeeper recently admitted even he struggled to imagine such rapid progress.
“If someone had told me a year ago that I’d be on Coach Deschamps’ shortlist four months before the World Cup, I wouldn’t have believed it.” — Robin Risser
| France goalkeeper hierarchy (expected) | Status |
|---|---|
| Mike Maignan | First choice |
| Brice Samba | Second choice |
| Robin Risser | Third choice |
| Alphonse Areola | Expected omission |
source: Le Parisien reports – 14 May 2026
World Cup setback for West Ham goalkeeper
The omission represents a significant setback for Areola after a frustrating second half of the season at West Ham.
Despite his experience and previous reliability for France, the goalkeeper’s reduced club involvement appears to have weakened his position at exactly the wrong moment.
There is also increasing expectation that West Ham’s goalkeeping situation could come under review during the summer window if Areola’s lack of playing time continues into next season.
What’s next?
France’s official World Cup squad announcement is expected later on Thursday evening, with Risser now strongly tipped to secure the final goalkeeper place.
For Areola, attention will quickly turn towards rebuilding momentum ahead of the new club season and potentially reassessing his long-term future if regular football remains unavailable at West Ham.
Meanwhile, Risser’s rapid rise is likely to increase Premier League interest even further after already attracting attention from clubs in England.
Did Didier Deschamps make the right decision by prioritising recent form over Alphonse Areola’s experience?
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