France vs. Cameroon: Date, Time, TV Schedule and Live Stream for 2016 Friendly
France face Cameroon on Monday at Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, France, in their penultimate international friendly ahead of the 2016 UEFA European Championship starting June 10th.
As hosts of the tournament, manager Didier Deschamps' side have been granted automatic qualification, meaning their preparations for Euro 2016 have been unique in comparison to the other 23 nations participating in the competition.
Cameroon, meanwhile, face Mauritania in an Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier on June 3rd. The Group M table-toppers played their last match—a 0-0 draw with South Africa—in late March.
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Here are the viewing details and a closer look at what to expect from these two sides:
Date: Monday, May 30
Time: 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET
Live Stream: ESPN 3 (US)
Preview
Per Soccerway, the teams have previously met on two occasions in their history in 2000 and 2003. The sides drew 1-1 in their first meeting before Thierry Henry struck an extra-time winner in a 1-0 victory in the Confederations Cup.
France will be without a cluster of key personnel in defence for the upcoming friendly and beyond, with Barcelona defender Jeremy Mathieu the latest international unavailable because of a calf injury. Lyon's Samuel Umtiti has replaced the versatile centre-back in the squad.
France confirmed the call-up on social media (via French football writer Mohammed Ali):
Real Madrid centre-half Raphael Varane had already been ruled out of the squad because of a calf problem, and Liverpool's Mamadou Sakho will not be called up to the final 23 despite his UEFA-imposed provisional drugs ban coming to an end, as noted by Mark Dobson of the Guardian.
Meanwhile, Les Bleus head coach Deschamps has been accused of racism by former Manchester United striker Eric Cantona in the buildup to the friendly due to his squad selection.
Per L'Equipe (h/t Goal's Rob Parrish), the former Juventus manager's representative, Carlos Brusa, has announced he will take legal action against the controversial retired forward.
Deschamps omitted Real Madrid's Karim Benzema and Nice's Hatem Ben Arfa—the latter scored 17 goals in Ligue 1 this term to help inspire his side to fourth in the table, per Parrish—from France's squad ahead of the championship, and Cantona suggested the decision was rooted in their north African heritage.
Per Owen Gibson of the Guardian, Cantona said:
"Benzema is a great player. Ben Arfa is a great player. But Deschamps, he has a really French name. Maybe he is the only one in France to have a truly French name. Nobody in his family mixed with anybody, you know. Like the Mormons in America.
So I'm not surprised he used the situation of Benzema not to take him. Especially after Valls said he should not play for France. And Ben Arfa is maybe the best player in France today. But they have some origins. I am allowed to think about that.
"
When asked if he felt Deschamps' decisions had been discriminatory, the 50-year-old said, per Gibson: "Maybe no, but maybe yes. Why not?"
As reported by Parrish, Brusa told L'Equipe: "I will initiate action before the civil and criminal courts to punish these slanderous and defamatory comments that infringe impermissibly on Mr. Deschamps' integrity."
For visitors Cameroon, they will use the clash as a warm-up to their AFCON fixture with Mauritania on Friday.
Belgian head coach Hugo Broos—a surprise appointment for Cameroon—took over for interim manager Alexandre Belinga on February 13 and has led the Indomitable Lions to successive draws against South Africa.
Lorient striker Benjamin Moukandjo will not feature in the contest because of injury, with Cameroon's Football Association confirming Antalyaspor's Mbilla Etame as his replacement, per BBC Sport's Leocadia Bongben.
Broos also didn't include captain Stephane Mbia in his team because of a suspension for a red card he received last year against Nigeria. Bongben reported the Hebei China Fortune midfielder also won't play in the upcoming AFCON qualifier.
While Mbia remained on the bench during the team's goalless draw against South Africa in March, Tottenham Hotspur forward Clinton Njie has been called up, with Sebastien Bassong of Norwich City, Marvin Matip and Landry N'Guemo left out.
