Number of past World Cup appearances: 16
Best Performance: Winner (1998, 2018)
First appearance: 1930 (Uruguay)
Top scorer: Juste Fontaine (13)
Most appearances: Hugo Lloris (20)
Player to watch: Kylian Mbappé
FIFA World Ranking: 1st place
The FIFA World Cup begins on June 11th. Check out Al Jazeera’s dedicated 2026 World Cup page for all the latest news, fixtures and live text commentary, and stay up to date with group standings, real-time results and schedules.
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France has perhaps the most talented team in world football and there could be two or three teams to win the tournament.
They are proud of current Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele, but he is not even their best forward compared to Kylian Mbappé, who returned to top form at Real Madrid despite a rocky 2025-26 season.
Despite the disappointment of failing to qualify for the 1990 and 1994 World Cups, France have reached the finals four of the past seven tournaments.
Still, there is a sense that they should have won more trophies, given the talent at their disposal, and they weren’t always known for playing the most appealing football under manager Didier Deschamps.
Deschamps is the only Frenchman to lift the trophy as both a player and a manager, having enjoyed an impressive career as a manager since 2012. However, there have been complaints about Deschamps from some quarters, and he has said he plans to resign after the tournament.
So can Deschamps turn the French talent into one last trophy before leaving?
Mbappe can aim for goal record
The Real Madrid forward needs two more goals to surpass Juste Fontaine’s record of 13 World Cup goals for France and will be in the hunt for the Golden Ball after a torrid season in front of Real Madrid’s goal.
He has scored 42 goals and provided seven assists in 44 games in all competitions for Madrid, settling here after a slow start following his move from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024.
Mbappe’s form has been a bit erratic at the World Cup. Although he scored a brilliant hat-trick in the last World Cup final, he has played a supporting role in other tournaments.
He has also had to battle several injuries and minor injuries, missing a significant number of games this season, which makes his goal-scoring feat all the more impressive.
A healthy and happy Mbappé will strike fear into any defense, and his sheer presence and quality will go a long way in leading France to glory in 2026.
attack french wealth
Of course, Mbappé is not France’s only destructive attacker.
Dembélé won the Ballon d’Or last year after leading PSG to their first Champions League title. The 29-year-old just added a second Champions League title to his resume with the win against Arsenal on May 30th.
His teammate Desiree Douai, who will only be 21 years old at this tournament, is also a very exciting talent.
Attacking winger Michael Oliseh has had a sensational season with Bayern Munich, putting in a brave performance as the German champions defeated Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals.
With the likes of Bradley Barcola, Marcus Thuram, Rayan Cherki and Jean-Philippe Mateta in the squad, France will not suffer unduly from the absence of Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike, who is out of the tournament with a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Of course, there are caveats. With so much talent together, there’s always the possibility of egos clashing and team harmony breaking down.
solid back line
Many believe that the team with the best defense tends to win the World Cup. If so, France would be considered the favorites.
Arsenal’s William Saliba is an absolute rock in the heart of the French defense. PSG’s Dayot Upamecano displays blistering speed along with solid defense. Barça’s Jules Kounde is a world-class right-back, while Theo Hernandez and Lucas Digne are great options at left-back.
Players like Ibrahima Konate and Lucas Hernandez add to the depth and will give the defense confidence by playing in front of the talented Mike Meignan.
Deschamps surprised many by calling up uncapped goalkeeper Robin Risser, in recognition of Reims’ performance as they finished second in Ligue 1 and won the French Cup. Lucas Chevalier did not feature as he was no longer eligible to play for Paris Saint-Germain.
Deschamps’ last performance
The man who won the World Cup as captain in 1998 and as manager in 2018 has said he will not renew his contract after the tournament ends.
Deschamps, 57, has faced considerable criticism for his management style. Critics say his conservative and pragmatic approach led to boring football, failing to make the most of the strengths of France’s attacking line-up and leaving the national team without a clear identity.
The France national team coach said he values results over praise, and if anyone doesn’t like watching his team play, “you can change the channel.”
He will be desperate to hit back at his critics by winning his second title as manager and cement his record as back-to-back champions.
His biggest team selection decision was probably to cut midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, who had a disappointing season at Real Madrid.
“I think it’s very unfortunate for him, but he’s had a tough season with injuries,” Deschamps said.
He added: “This is a team. It’s not necessarily the best 26 players. It’s about balance and how the team comes together.”
What about French groups?
There is no doubt that France will have a difficult match in Group I.
The opening game against Senegal will be a tough test as the African side are ranked 14th in the world and are captained by former Liverpool legend Sadio Mane. France is also suffering from the loss to Senegal in their first match of the 2002 World Cup, in which the defending champions were eliminated in the group stage.
Iraq, ranked 57th, have qualified for the intercontinental play-offs and should have a fairly comfortable outlook in the second group game against France, but the Iraqis are a talented team with several dangerous players.
Norway and Erling Haaland await in the final group match. The Norwegian team, ranked 31st, probably doesn’t believe in their quality, but they qualified with a perfect record, winning eight of eight matches, including two big wins against Italy.
France group stage matches
⚽ June 16: France vs. Senegal (East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA), 3:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m. Japan time)
⚽ June 22: France vs Iraq (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA), 5pm (21:00 GMT)
⚽ June 26: Norway vs France (Boston, MA, USA), 3pm (19:00 GMT)
Al Jazeera predictions
If they play Spain in the final, they will be runners-up, otherwise they will be the champions.
Spain may have too much quality, consistency and conviction for the French.
france world cup national team
Goalkeepers: Mike Meignan (AC Milan), Robin Risser (Racing Lens), Brice Samba (Stade Rennais)
Defenders: Lucas Digne (Aston Villa), Maro Gusto (Chelsea), Lucas Hernandez (PSG), Theo Hernandez (Al Hilal), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)
Midfielders: N’Golo Kante (Fenerbahce), Manu Kone (Roma), Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan), Aurelien Choameni (Real Madrid), Warren Zaire Emery (PSG)
Forwards: Magnes Acryusz (Monaco), Bradley Barcola (PSG), Rayan Cherki (Manchester City), Ousmane Dembélé (PSG), Desiree Douye (PSG), Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace), Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid), Michael Olisse (Bayern Munich), Markus Thuram (Inter Milan)
The FIFA World Cup begins on June 11th. Check out Al Jazeera’s dedicated 2026 World Cup page for all the latest news, fixtures and live text commentary, and stay up to date with group standings, real-time results and schedules.
