Didier Deschamps has unveiled France’s 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, with Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe and Paris St-Germain star Ousmane Dembele set to spearhead the attack.
The tournament marks Deschamps’ final major competition at the helm, a tenure that has seen France reach back-to-back World Cup finals.
Mbappe, despite a recent thigh injury, is expected to captain the side, aiming to add a second World Cup winner’s medal to his collection. He currently stands on 56 goals for France, just one shy of Olivier Giroud’s national record of 57.
Alongside him, Dembele arrives in scintillating form, having netted 35 goals and secured the Champions League title with Paris St-Germain last season.
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His individual brilliance was further recognized with a Ballon d’Or award, making him only the second French player this century to achieve the feat.
Despite his club success and inclusion in the last two World Cup squads, Dembele is still searching for his first goal at the global showpiece.
The attacking contingent also features a blend of emerging talent, with Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise and Paris St-Germain’s Desire Doue joining Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki and PSG’s Bradley Barcola, among others.
Cherki is one of seven Premier League-based players in the squad, which includes Arsenal’s William Saliba, Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne, Chelsea’s Malo Gusto, Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate, Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix, and Jean-Phillipe Mateta.
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Deschamps’ selection philosophy, as he explained to French TV channel TF1, prioritizes cohesion over individual accolades. “It’s a squad. Not necessarily the 26 best players. It’s about balance and how the team comes together,” he stated.
This approach led to some players being left out, including Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga and Tottenham forward Randal Kolo Muani, both of whom featured in the 2022 squad. PSG goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier also misses out, while Liverpool’s Huge Ekitike was an expected absentee due to a season-ending Achilles injury in April.
Addressing Camavinga’s exclusion, Deschamps acknowledged the difficulty of such decisions. “I can imagine how disappointed [Camavinga] must be. 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,” he told TF1, quoted by BBC.
The squad retains a core of experience, with Lucas Hernandez and N’Golo Kante joining Mbappe and Dembele as the only other survivors from France’s 2018 World Cup-winning group. In goal, uncapped Lens goalkeeper Robin Risser will serve as backup to Mike Maignan and Brice Samba.
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France will kick off their 2026 World Cup campaign in Group I against Senegal in New Jersey on June 16, before facing Iraq on June 22 and Norway on June 26. With a blend of established stars and promising youngsters, Deschamps will be hoping to cap his illustrious coaching career with a third consecutive World Cup final appearance.
Sources: www.bbc.com
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