Didier Deschamps
16
Winners (1998, 2018)
France secured qualification with a statement win over Ukraine and still look like one of the deepest squads in the tournament, with Mbappé, Saliba and Tchouaméni central to their ceiling.
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France arrived at World Cup 2026 the way elite teams usually do: without much public panic and with an absurd amount of talent still available to Didier Deschamps. FIFA's qualified-teams tracker notes that Les Bleus secured qualification with a 4-0 win over Ukraine at the Parc des Princes, where Kylian Mbappe scored twice, and the squad still looks deep enough to be judged in title terms rather than merely knockout terms.
Forward
Real Madrid
Mbappe remains the obvious headline figure, and FIFA highlighted his two-goal performance in the win over Ukraine that clinched France's place at the finals.
Forward
Paris Saint-Germain
If France want to be less predictable in the final third, Dembele's ability to destabilise full-backs one-v-one becomes central.
Midfielder
Real Madrid
Tchouameni gives France midfield security and allows their more aggressive attackers to play with fewer defensive compromises.
Defender
Arsenal
Saliba has grown into one of the most reliable centre-backs in Europe and is a major reason France can defend high without looking reckless.
Goalkeeper
AC Milan
France no longer rely on history in goal; Maignan gives them a modern, proactive goalkeeper with real match-saving quality.
Mike Maignan
AC Milan
Brice Samba
RC Lens
Robin Risser
RC Strasbourg
Dayot Upamecano
Bayern Munich
William Saliba
Arsenal
Ibrahima Konaté
Liverpool
Jules Koundé
Barcelona
Lucas Hernandez
PSG
Maxence Lacroix
Crystal Palace
Malo Gusto
Chelsea
Theo Hernandez
AC Milan
Adrien Rabiot
Marseille
Aurélien Tchouaméni
Real Madrid
N'Golo Kanté
Al-Ittihad
Manu Koné
Real Madrid
Warren Zaïre-Emery
PSG
Kylian Mbappé
Real Madrid
Ousmane Dembélé
PSG
Michael Olise
Bayern Munich
Rayan Cherki
PSG
Désiré Doué
PSG
Bradley Barcola
PSG
Marcus Thuram
Inter Milan
Maghnes Akliouche
Monaco
Jean-Philippe Mateta
Crystal Palace
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