Finalists at the last two World Cups, France will be looking to don the crown once again in 2026.
In this article, we’ll cover
Three in a row?
When it comes to the form book, France certainly top it across the two most recent editions of the World Cup.
After lifting the trophy for a second time in 2018, Didier Deschamps’ side were a penalty shootout away from defending their crown four years later, agonisingly losing out to Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
That defeat in Lusail will have made Les Bleus all the more determined to complete a hat-trick of World Cup triumphs this time around.
Unbeaten in their last seven matches since losing 5-4 to Spain in their epic Nations League semi-final, France certainly have momentum on their side as they look to do just that.
Endless attacking quality
One of the toughest decisions Deschamps will face this summer is choosing a front three.
Skipper Kylian Mbappe is a guaranteed starter, but who will join him from an envious list of options?
Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele should also be nailed on, though Paris Saint-Germain team-mates Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola will be pushing them all the way.
The same can be said for the likes of Michael Olise, Randal Kolo Muani and Rayan Cherki.
Then, at the spearhead of the attack, pacey Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike could lead the line, unless Deschamps prefers the strength of Inter forward Marcus Thuram – son of 1998 World Cup winner Lilian.
Whoever Deschamps goes with, said attacking trio will have to be on their game from the start of Group I, with Erling Haaland’s Norway and newly crowned Africa Cup of Nations champions Senegal providing tough early opposition.
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Mbappe eyeing goalscoring record
By the age of 23, Mbappe had already played and scored in two World Cup finals.
His awesome hat-trick against Argentina made him only the second player to achieve the feat in a World Cup showpiece, after Geoff Hurst in 1966.
He is also one of five players to score in multiple World Cup finals, after Pele, Zinedine Zidane, Paul Breitner and Vava.
Winner of the Golden Boot in 2022, Mbappe now was 12 World Cup goals to his name, and another five this year would see him break Miroslav Klose’s all-time record of 16.
Still only 27, fitness depending, the Real Madrid forward probably has at least another three finals in him and, therefore, plenty of time to break that record, and maybe more.
Impressive knockout record
Though they face a tough group, you would still expect France to progress to the knockout stages of the competition.
Looking at the draw, Deschamps’ side potentially face a showdown with Germany in the last 16, should both sides progress as winners from their respective groups and last-32 ties.
It was the Germans who defeated France the last time they failed to reach a World Cup final in 2014, with Die Nationalelf winning their last-eight clash 1-0 on the way to lifting the trophy.
In fact, that also represents Les Bleus’ only defeat over 90 minutes in the World Cup knockout stages since 1986, with their 2006 and 2022 final losses both coming on penalties.
That tells us it will take a special effort to stop them in their tracks in 2026, especially as the tournament comes down to the crunch stages.
