The Plan 

"It is a pain to watch, but it makes you win," is perhaps the most succinct summary of France under Didier Deschamps. The words were Antoine Griezmann’s during Euro 2024 - a competition in which Les Bleus reached the semi-finals. However, goals were hard to come by and, in the semi-final defeat against Spain, Randal Kolo Muani became the only French player to score from open play in the entire tournament. Their other three goals came either from the penalty spot or via own goals. 

Granted, this was France at their most conservative. The boundaries of Deschamps' approach, it seems, were being tested. The metaphorical handbrake was released during France's tour of the US in March this year as his side netted five goals across two games against Brazil and Colombia. During that tour, Deschamps said he wanted his team to be "less predictable and readable", but would their defensive solidity be sacrificed for attacking flair? "At times, we've been a bit on the limit," said Deschamps. 

That's the devil on his shoulder talking. The defence remains the backbone; only four European nations conceded fewer than Les Bleus in qualifying, but there is now an array of attacking talent at Deschamps' disposal, including captain Kylian Mbappé, the Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, and Michael Olise. 

Lucas Hernandez says France have "the best attack in the world" and when you look at the individuals, it is hard to contest that claim. Moulding them into something coherent is the challenge for Deschamps, and finding the correct formula has been difficult since Olivier Giroud's retirement from international football in 2024. In the March friendlies, the balance seemed to have been struck, but whether the more expansive prototype will be wielded out in the World Cup is the big question.

The Coach

Dider Deschamps has become the gold standard of international management. His conservatism and pragmatism have elicited replication, notably by Gareth Southgate when he was at the England helm. Despite taking France to back-to-back World Cup finals, as well as a Euros final during his 12-year tenure, Deschamps’ approach has regularly drawn criticism. "Watch something else, then," was his response to such jibes. His success justifies his dogmatism and, given that he will step back from Les Bleus this summer, he is not about to change tack now. Having previously had success with Monaco and Marseille, Deschamps has said he is open to a return to club management.

Star Player

Kylian Mbappé leads an all-star cast that also includes Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé and the man who could succeed him in winning the individual award, Michael Olise. But the main man, as has been the case since he fired France to World Cup glory back in 2018, remains Mbappé, who has evolved from an electrifying winger to a prolific goalscorer. Now operating as a No 9, the Real Madrid star is the player that France's attack has been built around – and for good reason given Mbappé is about to overtake Olivier Giroud as the country’s all-time goalscorer.

One to Watch

Warren Zaire-Emery is only 20 but has already experienced his fair share of career ups and downs. He netted on his France debut at the age of 17 and was sold as the next big thing. Injuries and a subsequent loss of form saw him fall down the pecking order at PSG and demoted to the France Under-21s. He has bounced back spectacularly. Now a key member of arguably the best club midfield in world football, he seeks a more prominent role with Les Bleus, where he could even be a solution to Deschamps' right-back problem, as he showed in the Champions League against Bayern Munich.

Unsung hero

Dayot Upecaemo has added consistency and composure to his game in the past year. So while William Saliba has come in for plaudits for his performances at Arsenal in recent season, and is also growing in stature for France, he is massively helped in the national team by Upamecano. The Bayern Munich centre-back, now 27 and in his prime, started all of France's World Cup qualifiers, bar a dead-rubber against Azerbaijan, and has kept Liverpool's Ibrahima Konaté on the fringes of the French setup.

Probable starting XI

(4-2-3-1): Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Upemacano, L.Hernandez; Tchouameni, Zaire-Emery; Dembélé, Olise, Doué; Mbappé.

What to expect from fans

As has been the case for many fans, pricing has been a deterrent for the French. Nonetheless, up to 1,000 supporters are expected at each match, with around 650 Irrésistibles Francais (IF), Les Bleus' biggest organised fan group, expected for the opener against Senegal. It is the IF who bring the noise in the stands, albeit their chants can be rather simplistic. "Allez Les Bleus" (Go the Blues), "Qui ne saute pas n'est pas Francais" (those who don't jump are not French, accompanied by mass jumping) and the Marseillaise, the national anthem, will be on rotation at stadiums around North America this summer. 

This article is part of JoySports' collaboration with The Guardian. The cooperation enables readers to access team news, previews, and more from all 48 teams that qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026.