France has started their early preparations for hosting Euro 2016 even without the four familiar faces after international retirements affected the general shape of Didier Deschamps' squad.

With just two years before the European Championship in France, goalkeeper Mickael Landreau, defender Eric Abidal, and midfielders Franck Ribery and Samir Nasri with Les Bleus have simultaneously retired from the squad.

"They are in charge of their careers, and I must try to understand their decisions," Deschamps told L'Equipe. "The important thing is that we have players who want to wear the blue shirt. That desire must come from them."

These changes would mean that the squad will be manned by younger or even less established players. Just as well, this would also mean that these players would have a better opportunity to impress Deschamps and have their career shining in the future.

A friendly meeting with Spain in Paris on September 4 precedes an away match against Serbia on September 7 - the first of 10 'centralised friendlies' that must be played against the nations in qualifying Group I.

There is no place for Arsenal's injured striker Olivier Giroud but his Gunners team-mates Mathieu Debuchy and Laurent Koscielny are included. Mangala and Bakary Sagna represent English champions Manchester City.

Newcastle boast two members in the squad - Cabella and Moussa Sissoko - and Hugo Lloris flies the flag for Tottenham with Remy of QPR also called up.

Paris St Germain duo Yohan Cabaye and Blaise Matuidi are the star names from Ligue 1, but in-form Marseille hitman Andre-Pierre Gignac has been omitted.

Florian Thauvin, Dimitri Payet, Sebastien Corchia, Layvin Kurzawa and Wissam Ben Yedder are among the other promising France-based players who have been overlooked on this occasion.