Coach Didier Deschamps has announced the 26-player French squad for the 2026 World Cup, featuring many stars who have competed across Europe, although some key players have been left out.
Coach Didier Deschamps officially announced on the evening of May 14th the 26-player squad for the French national team that will participate in the 2026 World Cup, which will take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11th to July 19th.
This will be Deschamps’ final tournament after 14 years leading “Les Bleus”. The 57-year-old coach brings a deep squad to the tournament with many stars in top form such as Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Aurélien Tchouaméni and William Saliba.
However, alongside that, there are also many well-known names who were not called up, most notably Eduardo Camavinga, Randal Kolo Muani, Florian Thauvin, and Lucas Chevalier.
Camavinga had a difficult season at Real Madrid, constantly plagued by injuries and no longer playing the crucial role he once did. Deschamps stated that he had to prioritize squad balance, as the French national team only brought five midfielders.
Meanwhile, Kolo Muani lost his place due to inconsistent form at Tottenham after leaving PSG. His replacement is Jean-Philippe Mateta, who had an impressive season with Crystal Palace, scoring 14 goals in 46 games. Deschamps insisted he needed a center forward with a different style, especially after Hugo Ekipike suffered a serious injury, missing the biggest tournament of his career.
The inclusion of 21-year-old goalkeeper Robin Risser (RC Lens) is somewhat surprising, despite his impressive Ligue 1 season with 11 clean sheets and the “Best Goalkeeper of the Season” award. Risser’s first call-up also means that veteran Lucas Chevalier will be left out after six months without playing for PSG.
Experts highly rate the seven players currently competing in the English Premier League who have been selected for this World Cup: Lucas Digne, Malo Gusto, Ibrahima Konate, William Saliba, Rayan Cherki, Jean-Philippe Mateta, and Maxence Lacroix.
Lacroix, 26, received his first call-up to the national team in March and has already made two appearances, while Mateta made his international debut last October. The Crystal Palace striker will be alongside a fast-paced and technically gifted attacking lineup including Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki, Maghnes Akliouche, Marcus Thuram, and Bradley Barcola.
At the 2026 World Cup, the French national team is in Group I along with Senegal, Iraq, and Norway. With their current squad, “Les Bleus” continue to be considered one of the top contenders for the championship.
