France World Cup 2022 Preview: Defending Champs Are Loaded—With Talent and Questions

There’s no denying France’s depth of talent, but injuries, chemistry and off-field drama again threaten to derail Les Bleus on the biggest stage.

To watch the French national team is to watch one of the finest collections of soccer talent the global game has to offer. The defending World Cup champions won a 2018 tournament full of drama, and forward Kylian Mbappé fully announced his presence as one of the most dynamic attackers in the world.

The last several years have brought some change within Les Bleus. After nearly six years of being banned for his alleged involvement in a blackmail scandal against a teammate, striker Karim Benzema was reintroduced for the 2020 European Championship. But the French faltered even with the added attacking expertise, imploding in the final 10 minutes to eventually lose on spot kicks to Switzerland in the round of 16.

France mostly breezed through a relatively lightweight qualifying group. Some hiccups in the UEFA Nations League (losses to Denmark and Croatia) may provide some reason to worry, and a potential reported rift Mbappé and Paul Pogba was played down and has subsided. Defending champions have gone out in the group stage in four of the last five men’s World Cups. But the overall sentiment remains: Even with only 11 of the players who won it all four years ago making the trip to Qatar, if this group can jell as well as it did in Russia, it’ll be just as fierce of a contender in Qatar.

Group D Schedule (all times Eastern)

- Australia, Nov. 22, 2 p.m.

- Denmark, Nov. 26, 11 a.m.

- Tunisia, Nov. 30, 10 a.m.

Coach

Didier Deschamps, hired in July 2012

Mbappé is back to lead France at the World Cup after winning it all in 2018 as a teenager :: LEBRECHTMEDIA/Sports Illustrated

Players to Watch

(Editor’s note: An initial version of this team preview listed Benzema as a player to watch. With his absence confirmed, it has been removed.)

Kylian Mbappé, forward

The unquestioned face of the present and future of French soccer already reached World Cup stardom by winning the tournament’s Best Young Player award in 2018. Mbappé has the pace and skill to turn almost any defender in the world into knots. If he’s allowed to make one of his signature charging runs in behind the defense, nobody’s catching him.

Hugo Lloris, goalkeeper

The steady rock in goal will likely break the record for the most-capped French player of all time in Qatar (he trails Lilian Thuram by three). While no longer regarded as one of the top shot-stoppers in the world, Lloris is still as consistent as they come. He already has seven clean sheets to his name in 14 World Cup starts, and he will look to add to that tally in a very winnable group.

The young Tchouaméni could have a big role to play in France’s midfield with key veterans out injured :: JB Autissier/PanoramiC/Imago Images

Breakout Candidate

Aurélien Tchouaméni, midfielder

Somehow, European champion Real Madrid found a way to get better (and younger) this transfer window by adding the 22-year-old Tchouaméni. One of the few young stars in recent years to start to break through in a loaded France squad, he finished last year at Monaco in the top 10 in Ligue 1 in tackles won and successful pressures and ranked No. 1 in interceptions. In other words, he was one of the top defensive midfielders in all of France, and therefore played his way onto his country’s World Cup qualifying and UEFA Nations League teams.

Tchouaméni was an instant starter in Madrid after the departure of Casemiro, the longtime defensive anchor of the midfield. He’s taken to life well thus far in a more competitive league in Spain, and that was all he needed to secure his spot in Qatar.

With N’Golo Kanté and Pogba ruled out through injury, Tchouaméni could have a significant role to play during France’s quest to become the first repeat champion since Brazil 60 years ago.

World Cup history

- 16th appearance

- Last appearance: 2018 (Champion)

- Best finish: Champion in 1998 and 2018

Outlook and Expectations

The events of the transfer market this summer reintroduced the idea of potential turmoil within the national side. The Mbappé transfer saga, which ultimately saw him spurn Benzema’s Real Madrid to return to PSG on a massive contract, sparked rumors that the relationship between the two superstar forwards had gone sour. Benzema put those to bed in May, saying “he’s not disappointed” and that it shouldn’t affect their partnership. Then, months later, reports surfaced that Mbappé already wanted out from PSG—reports that the player has denied.

Yet the drama itself underlines perhaps the only thing that can get in France’s way. It’s not a perfect squad, but it’s likely the most complete, save for some lack of starpower at right and left back. This team is experienced, with a coach and a number of players who won the whole thing in 2018. The only hangup will be whether the group can mesh like it did four years ago.

The Euro meltdown against Switzerland was a prime example of where the sheer talent could not get France over the line. Pogba scored a worldie to put Les Bleus up 3–1 in the 75th minute, and it seemed like the team was destined for another deep tournament run. But Pogba (among others) was slow to track back as Switzerland got a goal back in the 81st minute, then the French fell asleep on a counterattack in the 90th before their fate was sealed in penalties.

While Denmark definitely poses problems, as evidenced by its storybook run to the Euro 2020 semifinal and their two Nations League matches, France will be expected to win Group D with ease. From there, Deschamps’s squad should be among the favorites to win it all and repeat as champion. The biggest thing that could get in France’s way—not for the first time—is itself.

World Cup Squad

GOALKEEPERS: Alphonse Areola (West Ham), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Steve Mandanda (Rennes)

DEFENDERS: Axel Disasi (Monaco), Lucas Hernandez (Bayern Munich), Theo Hernandez (AC Milan), Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool), Jules Koundé (Barcelona), Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich), Raphaël Varane (Manchester United)

MIDFIELDERS: Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), Youssouf Fofana (Monaco), Mattéo Guendouzi (Marseille), Adrien Rabiot (Juventus), Aurélien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid), Jordan Veretout (Marseille)

FORWARDS: Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich), Ousmane Dembélé (Barcelona), Olivier Giroud (AC Milan), Antoine Griezmann (Atlético Madrid), Kylian Mbappé (PSG), Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt), Marcus Thuram (Borussia Mönchengladbach)

Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig) and Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) were injured in France training and have been ruled out for the competition.