France Announces 26-Member World Cup Squad

Paris. French national football team head coach Didier Deschamps has announced a 26-member squad for this season's World Cup. Star players Kylian Mbappé and Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé will lead France's attack. Mbappé, also a forward for Real Madrid, is expected to captain the country despite recently facing a thigh injury. Mbappé, with 56 goals for France, is only surpassed by Olivier Giroud, who has 57 goals. Dembélé, who scored 35 goals for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) last season and won the Champions League, is the second French player to win the Ballon d'Or this century. However, despite being selected for the previous two World Cup squads, he has not scored in a World Cup. Bayern Munich's Michael Olise and Dembélé's PSG teammate Desire Doué will complete France's excellent attacking lineup. Seven players playing in the English Premier League have been included in the squad, including Manchester City playmaker Rhyan Cherki and Arsenal defender William Saliba. Mbappé and Dembélé, along with full-back Lucas Hernandez and midfielder N'Golo Kanté, are the only players from the squad that won the 2018 World Cup to be selected this time. This will be the last major tournament for coach Deschamps, who has led France to two consecutive World Cup finals, as head coach. Ahead of his final tournament, Deschamps has made some surprising decisions in squad selection. Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga and Tottenham's Randal Kolo Muani, who played in the 2022 World Cup, have both failed to make the squad this time. PSG goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier has also not been included in the squad, while Lens goalkeeper Brice Samba, along with Robin Risser, who has not yet played for the national team, have been included in the squad as backups to Mike Maignan. Liverpool's Hugo Ekitiké, who missed the season due to an Achilles injury in April, was expected to be left out. Speaking about the squad selection to French TV channel TF1, coach Deschamps said, 'This is a team, not just 26 excellent players, it's about balance and how the team moves forward together.' He added regarding Camavinga's exclusion, 'I can imagine how disappointed he must be, he is coming off a difficult season where he didn't play much and faced injuries, but I have to make decisions and build a team.' France, in Group 'I', will begin their World Cup campaign on June 16 against Senegal in New Jersey. France will then face Iraq on June 22 and Norway on June 26. The announced 26-member squad includes goalkeepers Mike Maignan of AC Milan, Robin Risser of Lens, and Brice Samba of Rennes. Defenders include Lucas Digne of Aston Villa, Malo Gusto of Chelsea, Lucas Hernandez of PSG, Théo Hernandez of Al Hilal, Ibrahima Konaté of Liverpool, Maxence Lacroix of Crystal Palace, Jules Koundé of Barcelona, William Saliba of Arsenal, and Dayot Upamecano of Bayern Munich. Midfielders include N'Golo Kanté of Fenerbahçe, Manu Koné of Roma, Adrien Rabiot of AC Milan, Aurélien Tchouaméni of Real Madrid, and Warren Zaïre-Emery of PSG. Forwards include Maghnes Akliouche of Monaco, Bradley Barcola of PSG, Rhyan Cherki of Manchester City, Ousmane Dembélé and Desire Doué of PSG, Michael Olise of Bayern Munich, Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid, Jean-Philippe Mateta of Crystal Palace, and Marcus Thuram of Inter Milan have secured their places in the squad.