PARIS -- France coach Didier Deschamps has called up Chelsea centre-back Kurt Zouma as backup in defence for games against Albania and Sweden.
The 20-year-old Zouma, who has made just five appearances for Chelsea this season after joining from Saint-Etienne this summer, was drafted in on Tuesday because Loic Perrin and Eliaquim Mangala are carrying minor calf injuries.
France play Albania -- who are in the same group as already-qualified France in qualifying for the 2016 European Championship -- in Rennes on Friday and host Sweden in Marseille four days later.
Zouma has been an unused substitute twice last year: in a friendly against Australia and a World Cup qualifier vs. Finland.
Deschamps has already made changes to his squad with Layvin Kurzawa replacing the injured Benoit Tremoulinas at left-back and Lyon's Maxime Gonalons brought in for Blaise Matuidi who has a fractured right hand.