France analysis: Why Deschamps’ side can benefit from their PSG influence in the World Cup

France kick off their World Cup tournament against Senegal on Tuesday, kicking off at 20:00 at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Didier Deschamps’ side were unbeaten in their qualifiers, winning five and drawing once, with their only loss since the 2025 Nation League campaign coming against Ivory Coast in their warm up games at the start of the month.

The French will be hoping they can secure their third World Cup triumph, having won most recently in 2018, losing in the 2022 final against Argentina on penalties to make it two in a row.

Fluid front four

In terms of attacking organisation, Deschamps’ France side are extremely fun, with the full-back pushing high to provide width, allowing for the front four to operate with high mobility and fluidity in the central channels.

Throughout qualifiers, France used a number of different combinations in attack, but heading into the World Cup, it is looking like their front four will be comprised of Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise and Kylian Mbappe.

With both Dembele and Doue part of a highly fluid front four, there is a resemblance to PSG’s attacking play in this France side, with a high volume of counter movements to attack depth and receive in front of the opposition defensive line, but also to confuse the opposition marking references.

While this is a 4-2-3-1 on paper, it resembles much more of a 4-2-4 with both Dembele and Mbappe operating as split strikers, where one drops deeper to overload the midfield and the other pins the opposition backline.

Further forwards, with the full-backs joining to provide the width, it can begin to resemble either a 3-1-6 (with Aurelien Tchouameni dropping between the centre-backs to create a three) or a 2-2-5-1.

Adrien Rabiot’s role is also interesting next to Tchouameni in midfield, as he has a bit more freedom to float further forwards, arrive in space and connect the two phases of play.

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Rest defence importance

With the attacking dynamics just mentioned, often shaping up in that 3-1-6/2-2-5-1, France will often be heavily reliant on certain individuals in their rest defence, putting out fires when the opposition look to counter.

While many teams will build with a 3-2 base shape and keep that same 3-2/2-3 base in their rest defence, France look to commit another one or two bodies in the attack.

Where they look to have that high level of mobility through the middle, it can lead to turnovers in dangerous areas, which is where it will likely come down to three players particularly to protect against transitions.

Tchouameni will often stay fairly fixed to his position as the number six, positioning himself to protect the centre in transition.

Both Dayot Upamecano and William Saliba are then key to defend the channels, comfortable defending in wider areas, allowing them to follow their man in those 2v2 or 3v3 transition scenarios.

Against better opposition, Rabiot and the two full-backs could be more reserved in order to keep a stronger structure behind the ball.

Out of possession gains

The in-possession factors aren’t the only area France are benefitting from a PSG influence, as both Doue and Dembele also massively improve Deschamps’ side out of possession.

Both of the PSG attackers work extremely hard off the ball, whether that be in the counterpress, reacting quickly to protect against transitions, or in their defensive scheme, looking to block passing lanes and apply suitable pressure on the ball.

France often set up in a 4-2-4 out of possession, but with similarities to PSG with how they latch on to shift from a zonal to a man to man pressing scheme.

Against sides who typically build in the popular 3-2-5 shape for example, Doue and Olise will jump onto the wide centre-backs, Mbappe will look to press the central centre-back, while Dembele drops to cover the pivot and help match up against the opposition midfield.

This allows Rabiot to press the second pivot player with Dembele, leaving Tchouameni with the four defenders to manage the opposition front five, matching up man for man across the back line.

Attacking wildcards

While the France front four feels like it could pick itself for the opening game, given the balance both in and out of possession, Deschamps will have a plethora of exciting attacking options chomping at the bit on the bench.

Perhaps the best creator in Europe, Rayan Cherki, is likely to be starting on the bench due to the quality of France’s front line.

But having the 21-year-old as an option from the bench, especially when they are struggling to break down more stubborn blocks will be key.

Other attackers in the squad include Maghes Akliouche and Bradley Barcola as wide options, with Marcus Thuram and Jean-Philippe Mateta as more target man centre-forwards.

Deschamps will have an array of options for different types of games, but the front four of Doue, Dembele, Mbappe and Olise could well be his go-to for those big games later in the tournament, when the balance is more desirable.

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