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26th January 2024
05:08pm GMT
France boss Didier Deschamps was forced to reject a request from First Lady Brigette Macron to call up one of Reims' star players - because the player in question is Japanese.
Deschamps and Macron attended an event at the Reims University Hospital last week as part of the Yellow Pieces Operation, a foundation which funds projects to support sick children and teenagers.
At the event, Deschamps was reportledy asked if there was a possibility of a Reims player making it into the national team squad.
"I don’t have any players in Reims, but I look at the team like all the other French and foreign clubs," he said, as per Champagne FM.
"It’s very good what’s happening here."
Macron then proposed the idea of calling up exciting winger Junya Ito.
She said: "There is a Japanese man who plays very well in Reims. He is very good.
"We must select him from the Didier team, why don't you take it?"
The World-Cup winning boss then apparently laughed out loud before reminding Macron, "Well, because he’s Japanese."
Ito has two goals in 17 games for the Ligue 1 side this season and is currently away on international duty with Japan, who are competing at the Asia Cup.
Japan advanced to the last 16 and remain one of the favourites to win the tournament.
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