Marseille striker Andre-Pierre Gignac has earned a recall to the France squad for the Euro 2016 hosts' upcoming friendlies against Portugal and Armenia.
Gignac, 28, has started the season in scintillating fashion by scoring eight goals in eight league matches to help lift Marseille to the top of Ligue 1.
His club teammate Dimitri Payet and Lyon full-back Christophe Jallet have also been recalled for the games on Oct. 11 and 14.
Gignac has scored four goals in 17 appearances for France but he last played for his country as a second-half substitute in their 0-0 draw in Georgia in September last year.
Some observers suggested that the ex-Toulouse forward had been overlooked because of a strained relationship with France manager Didier Deschamps, who was one of Gignac's former coaches at Marseille.
But Deschamps denied that he felt pressured into recalling the leading goalscorer in France this season.
"It's not like I'm only calling him up today for the first time since I was Marseille manager," Deschamps said at a news conference.
"I didn't feel like I was obliged to pick him. If I didn't want to, I wouldn't have.
"If I call him up it's because I consider that, on a sporting level, what he's capable of doing on the pitch is something that could be good for the French team."
Gignac benefits from the absence of Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud, while France are also without injured Arsenal right-back Mathieu Debuchy and Lille captain Rio Mavuba.
Deserved recall for Gignac, Payet also merits his place in squad. A number of important players out with injuries. Mathieu also included.
- Jonathan Johnson (@Jon_LeGossip) October 2, 2014
Arsenal centre back Laurent Koscielny returns after injury, while Barcelona's Jeremy Mathieu retains his place in the wake of Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho's thigh problem.
France face Portugal at the Stade de France on Saturday week before a trip to face Armenia in Yerevan on the following Tuesday.
Squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Lloris (Tottenham), Mandanda (Marseille), Ruffier (Saint-Etienne)
Defenders: Digne (Paris Saint-Germain), Evra (Juventus), Jallet (Lyon), Koscielny (Arsenal), Mangala (Manchester City), Mathieu (Barcelona), Sagna (Manchester City), Varane (Real Madrid)
Midfielders: Cabaye (Paris Saint-Germain), Matuidi (Paris Saint-Germain), Pogba (Juventus), Schneiderlin (Southampton), Sissoko (Newcastle)
Forwards: Benzema (Real Madrid), Cabella (Newcastle), Gignac (Marseille), Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), Payet (Marseille), Rémy (Chelsea), Valbuena (Dynamo Moscow)