Nadir Hifi replaces Matthew Strazel for EuroBasket 2025!
August 24, 2025
Gabriel Pantel-Jouve
Matthew Strazel reacts to EuroBasket withdrawal: « I have no words, only tears »
French National Team - After withdrawing from EuroBasket 2025 due to a thigh injury, Matthew Strazel expressed his distress on X. The AS Monaco point guard won't be able to represent France, who will enter the competition with a significantly renewed roster.
Photo Credit : Guillaume Poumarede
Following the official announcement of his withdrawal, Matthew Strazel (23 years old, 20 caps) spoke out on X. Forced to withdraw from EuroBasket due to a thigh injury, the AS Monaco point guard didn’t hide his immense disappointment about missing this opportunity with the French national team.
« I would have done anything to wear this jersey »
In a brief message, Strazel let his emotions show: « Lightning strikes me. I have no words, only tears. I would have done anything to wear this jersey and represent this new generation 🙏🏽🇫🇷 » he wrote Sunday evening.
His statement reflects the player’s pain, having participated in all the preparation before his forced stoppage.
la foudre qui s’abat sur moi.
j’ai pas de mots,que des larmes.
J’aurais tout fait pour vibrer avec ce maillot et pour porter cette nouvelle génération 🙏🏽🇫🇷 https://t.co/KW0z3zyKfP— Matthew STRAZEL (@mtwbucket32) August 24, 2025
The former Marne-la-Vallée player received support from his replacement, Nadir Hifi, and wished him luck in return. The two players, born in 2002 and represented by the same agent, are close friends.
tu connais déjà ! même pas besoin de te dire ! Allume ça et allez chercher ce qu’on attend tous 🫶🏽🤞🏾
— Matthew STRAZEL (@mtwbucket32) August 24, 2025
A largely renewed roster
Strazel’s absence adds to an already major transformation of the French team. From the 2024 Paris Olympics, only three players remain: Guerschon Yabusele, Bilal Coulibaly and Isaïa Cordinier. Around them, nine new players and a brand new technical staff will tackle EuroBasket 2025.
With Nadir Hifi called up to replace Strazel, France will begin their European campaign this Thursday, August 28, against Belgium in Katowice (Poland).
Gabriel Pantel-Jouve is the founder and editor-in-chief of BeBasket, which he has been running since 2010 (formerly known as Catch & Shoot). Having studied at the École Publique de Journalisme de Tours and two universities in North America, he has developed his expertise in French basketball, from the National League to amateur divisions, over the past 20 years. Alongside this, he is also involved in the development of clubs in the Montpellier area.
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