France youth team considered strike over Ramadan | OneFootball

French football’s handling of the period of Ramadan had been a source of tension during the Islamic holy month earlier this year, with the FA notably banning breaks during games for practising players to break fast, among other incidents.

That tension appears to have been present during the March international break as well. While the Muslim players in the senior France national team had reportedly agreed to delay the start of their fast, a report from France Football indicates that the topic caused some discord within the youth ranks.

France Football report that on the first day of the international break, a group of six players had told the team doctor at the Clairefontaine national training centre that they intended to begin fasting. They had even considering protesting at manager Sylvain Ripoll’s office, as well as a potential strike. The prospect of several non-Muslim players skipping lunchtime in solidarity was also brought up.

The rumours of collective action reached the higher-ups at the FA, and the senior team’s captain Kylian Mbappé was sent over to speak to the squad to dissuade them. The Paris Saint-Germain forward, though, has denied this on Twitter. After the meeting, several players opted against fasting, while others decided to fast only certain days. Speaking to France Football, FA president Philippe Diallo confirmed that the lack of a clear rule across all teams may have contributed to the confusion. It remains to be seen whether the episode could push several dual nationals to opt for another country – with the likes of Amine Gouiri also eligible for Algeria.

GFFN | Raphaël Jucobin