France Eye Third Title as Mbappe Leads Tournament Favourites
France enter the 2026 FIFA World Cup as one of the strongest contenders, having reached 4 finals in their last 7 World Cup appearances. Under departing coach Didier Deschamps, Les Bleus boast a star-studded attack featuring Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise and Desire Doue.
Despite concerns about managing a squad full of superstars, France believe their biggest challenge is avoiding internal complacency.
For the French national team, the 2026 FIFA World Cup represents a chance to complete an era of dominance under coach Didier Deschamps. France enter the tournament as one of the leading favorites after reaching the World Cup final 4 times in the last 7 editions, including winning the title in 2018 and finishing runners up in 2022. This tournament will also be Deschamps' final assignment before stepping down after 14 years in charge.
French football expert Julien Laurens believes France possess one of the strongest squads in the competition, led by captain Kylian Mbappe and supported by stars such as Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola, Rayan Cherki and Desire Doue. Deschamps is expected to move away from his traditionally cautious approach and use a more attacking 4-2-3-1 formation to maximize the team's offensive talent. One setback is the injury to Hugo Ekitike, who was expected to play an important role in attack. Despite this, France still have remarkable depth across the squad.
Another challenge will be managing a dressing room full of high profile stars, although Laurens believes Mbappe has matured as a leader and commands the respect of his teammates. Veteran midfielder N'Golo Kante, now 35, remains a valuable figure due to his experience and influence. While France officially targets at least a semifinal finish, the real expectation is to win a third World Cup title and end Deschamps' reign on a historic high.