France‘s quest to reach a third consecutive World Cup final will continue into the semi-final stage after a comfortable quarter-final victory over Morocco.
This is Didier Deschamps’ final tournament as France manager, as he prepares to step down post-World Cup. It’s going just as well as he would have hoped. France are in the semi-finals once again, still perfect after six games.
France were very comfortable in the group stages, finishing first with wins over Senegal, Iraq and Norway. The latter secured top spot, although Norway had rotated with qualification already secure. As group winners, France were put against Sweden in the last-32, and they won that European clash 3-0.
Les Bleus then won a battle against Paraguay to book their spot in the quarter-finals where Morocco were lying in wait. Goals from Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele were enough to secure a 2-0 victory over the Atlas Lions in Boston.
Get all the latest France stats as the tournament unfolds, plus the latest squad, manager and fixture information for the European side here.
France World Cup 2026 route to the final
Reaching the semi-finals, France are waiting to find out who stands in their way of a third-consecutive World Cup final. Didier Deschamps’ men will take on either Spain or Belgium on Tuesday 14th July.
All routes lead to the World Cup Final on 19th July. Should les Bleus reach it they will take on one of England, Norway, Argentina or Switzerland in New Jersey.
READ MORE: Get the latest France World Cup 2026 outright odds here
France World Cup 2026 stats
France’s key players for World Cup 2026
France top World Cup Golden Boot contender: Kylian Mbappe
- Key stat: Kylian Mbappe has scored 19 goals in 19 World Cup matches, reaching the final in both editions he has played in.
Kylian Mbappe is the second-highest World Cup goalscorer of all time. His 19 goals in 19 games places the Frenchman just two behind Lionel Messi at the top of the charts. Seven of those 19 goals have come at the 2026 World Cup, and Mbappe only trails Messi again in the Golden Boot race. Mbappe has scored in four of France’s five games so far, bagging braces in three of those. He also scored the crucial only goal in the last-16 win over Paraguay.
France primary playmaker: Michael Olise
- Key stat: Michael Olise has provided five assists at the 2026 World Cup, more than any other player.
Michael Olise is the creative spark of this France side. He has created 11 chances at the World Cup so far, with only Mbappe (12) managing more for Les Bleus. But Olise leads Deschamps’ side for his five big chances created. In fact, only Messi (six) has created more big chances at the World Cup than Olise. The Frenchman is unrivalled, though, when it comes to his five assists. He has provided two assists in a single game twice at the World Cup so far, including two in the last-32 win over Sweden. Olise is a must-stop for France’s opponents if they are to have any chance of beating Les Bleus.
France card magnet & top tackler: Aurelien Tchouameni
- Key stat: No France player has made more tackles to Aurelien Tchouameni’s 13 at the 2026 World Cup.
Despite only playing three of France’s five games so far, Aurelien Tchouamendi sits top of their charts for tackles. The Real Madrid midfielder has made 13 tackles in total, the joint-most alongside Jules Kounde. That averages out to 4.33 tackles per 90 minutes, which is among the most of any player at the World Cup with at least 225 minutes played. Tchouameni’s 13 tackles have come alongside four fouls, the fourth-most for France. And he’s one of four Frenchman to have been booked at the World Cup so far.
France rising star: Desire Doue
Desire Doue is the second-youngest player in France’s World Cup squad this summer. And he’s making an impact. The 21-year-old has started two of France’s five World Cup matches, scoring in their win over Norway. He also came off the bench to win the penalty against Paraguay, which Mbappe converted to send France through to the knockout stages. Doue still has a lot to give at this World Cup.
STAND-OUT STAT: France scored 30 goals across the last two World Cups – that’s five more than any other team and the first time a team has scored 30 or more goals across two consecutive tournaments since Brazil in 1970 and 1974.
France’s set-piece specialists
- Penalties: Kylian Mbappe
- Free kicks: Michael Olise
- Corners: Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembele
France tactical analysis
France team stats (average per game at World Cup 2026):
- Corners: 7.2
- Shots on target: 7.8
- Shots on target conceded: 1.8
- Offsides: 1.4
Deschamps is blessed with a lot of talent in his attack, and he’s done well to fit as many players in as possible. The front four may just be the best in the world as a unit. Kylian Mbappe leads the line, with Michael Olise playing in the No.10. Olise had started the first game on the right, with Ousmane Dembele through the middle, without success. But since making the change, Deschamps has managed to unlock the full ability of his players.
Adrien Rabiot has been another guaranteed starter in the midfield. But Deschamps has often rotated his partner. It’s a similar case at left-back, though Lucas Digne appears to have taken that spot from Theo Hernandez. Dechamps has a solid base to protect the excellent attack, which is why France are still perfect after five games.
Get the latest France World Cup goals, shots, tackle, assist stats are more here.
France manager analysis
Didier Deschamps has been at the helm of France since 2012, making him one of the longest-serving national team managers in the 21st century. He is one of only three men to have won the World Cup as both a player (1998) and a manager (2018), and could become only the second coach to lift the trophy twice as a manager (after Vittorio Pozzo for Italy in 1934 and 1938).
Under Deschamps, France have also won the 2021 Nations League, reached the 2016 European Championship final, finished runners-up at the 2022 World Cup, and most recently were eliminated by eventual winners Spain in the Euro 2024 semi-finals.
The veteran coach brings immense experience and will be aiming to finish his France tenure on a high by leading his team to a third World Cup triumph. Deschamps is well-respected, but he often draws criticism for his pragmatic approach.
| Coach | Team | P | W | D | L | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Didier Deschamps | France | 184 | 121 | 32 | 31 | 65.76% |
France World Cup FAQs
Have France ever won the World Cup?
France have won the World Cup on two occasions. Their first success was on home soil in 1998, then 20 years later they won for a second time in Russia 2018.
Where did France finish at the last World Cup?
France finished as runners-up to Argentina at Qatar 2022. The teams played out a thrilling 3-3 draw, before Argentina came out on top on penalties.
Who will be France captain at the World Cup?
France are captained by Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe.
Who is France’s all-time top goalscorer at World Cups?
Kylian Mbappe became France’s record goalscorer overall and at World Cups, now sitting on 19 goals at the tournament.
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