Advertisement
Advertisement
Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga and Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier missed out as France revealed their 26-man squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 in the United States of America (USA), Canada and Mexico.
Kylian Mbappe will spearhead France at the World Cup after coach Didier Deschamps on Thursday announced his squad. Deschamps, who guided France to World Cup glory in 2018, will leave his role after the 2026 edition.
“It’s a squad. Not necessarily the 26 best players. It’s about balance and how the team comes together,” Deschamps told French TV channel TF1.
“The overriding and essential criterion (for selection) is a sporting one,” the 57-year-old later explained to journalists.
Mbappe will likely captain the team from the get-go despite a thigh injury sustained last month, which caused him to miss key matches in Real Madrid’s La Liga run-in.
The 27-year-old will be joined on the plane to North America by a range of attacking talent, including Ballon d’Or holder Ousmane Dembele and PSG’s Desire Doue, as well as Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise.
Rayan Cherki will make his World Cup debut. The 22-year-old playmaker has enjoyed a sparkling debut season at Manchester City, while his Premier League rival, William Saliba of Arsenal, will provide defensive solidity for Les Bleus.
Dayot Upamecano of Bundesliga champions Bayern will be expected to partner Saliba in the heart of the France defence, with Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate and Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix also included.
Full-back Lucas Hernandez and midfielder N’Golo Kante are, alongside Mbappe and Dembele, the sole survivors from Deschamps’ World Cup-winning squad from eight years ago in Russia.
Lens goalkeeper Robin Risser is the only uncapped player in the squad.
Notable absentees are Eduardo Camavinga as well as Lucas Chevalier, who has become the second choice at the Parc des Princes since his high-profile transfer from Lille last summer.
“I can imagine how disappointed he (Camavinga) must be,” Deschamps said. “He’s coming off a tough season where he didn’t play as much and suffered injuries. (But) I’ve got decisions to make and a squad to put together.”
Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike will also not be a part of the squad after suffering a season-ending Achilles injury in April.
“It’s been part of my life for 14 years running. But if people are worried, I’m not retiring. I’ll have a life of my own. The World Cup is the most important thing,” Deschamps said of announcing his seventh and final France squad for a major international tournament.
France will start their Group I campaign against Senegal on June 16, before playing Iraq and Norway.
Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Robin Risser (Lens), Brice Samba (Rennes)
Defenders: Lucas Digne (Aston Villa), Malo Gusto (Chelsea), Lucas Hernandez (Paris Saint-Germain), Theo Hernandez (Al Hilal), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)
Midfielders: N’Golo Kante (Fenerbahce), Manu Kone (Roma), Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid), Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain)
Forwards: Maghnes Akliouche (Monaco), Bradley Barcola (Paris Saint-Germain), Rayan Cherki (Manchester City), Ousmane Dembele (Paris Saint-Germain), Desire Doue (Paris Saint-Germain), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid), Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan)
