France's odds to win the World Cup
13/2
Best World Cup
Winner 1998 & 2018
2018 World Cup
Winner
France's World Cup Schedule
|
Date |
Fixture |
Location |
|
22nd November 7pm |
Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah |
|
|
26th November 4pm |
Stadium 974, Doha |
|
|
30th November 3pm |
Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan |
Road to Qatar
The current World Cup holders are no longer granted a free ride to the next finals, so France had to earn their spot in Qatar by winning an awkward group involving Ukraine, Finland, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Kazakhstan. With those four teams sharing too many draws (Ukraine drew six of their eight unbeaten games), France were soon in the driving seat, winning five and drawing three of their eight games and conceding just three goals on route to a comfortable top-place finish.
Recent form
Since their comfortable qualification, France have struggled to replicate that form throughout the remainder of 2022. Six Nations League games produced just one win when they overcame Austria 2-0 at home, while they could only manage 1-1 draws in Austria and Croatia, before losing 1-0 at home to the latter in June. Most telling of all is that the French lost at home (1-2) and away (0-2) to the same improving Denmark team that they will face in the World Cup group stage, so they do not appear to be in ideal shape to defend their World Cup crown.
France squad
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (West Ham Utd), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur), Steve Mandanda (Rennes)
Defenders: Lucas Hernandez (Bayern Munich), Theo Hernandez (AC Milan), Presnel Kimpembe (PSG), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich), Raphael Varane (Man Utd)
Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), Youssouf Fofana (Monaco), Matteo Guendouzi (Marseille), Adrien Rabiot (Juventus), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid), Jordan Veretout (Marseille)
Forwards: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich), Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona), Olivier Giroud (AC Milan), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), Kylian Mbappe (PSG), Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig)
Team insights
Probable formation: 4-3-3 France boss Didier Deschamps appears to have ditched a 3-5-2 formation in favour of a more traditional 4-3-3, which seems to be the best way to get the best from his surfeit of attacking riches. The French squad's defensive backbone is made up of captain Hugo Lloris behind Raphael Varane and Presnel Kimpembe, but the withdrawal of injured 2018 heroes N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba means Deschamp will have to rethink his midfield options. Olivier Giroud started France's last two outings, but it's hard to see him keeping out an in-form Karim Benzema who will be keen to dispel the memory of being banished from France's 2018 triumph. Antoine Griezmann will be keen to impress in what might well be his final World Cup appearance, while much of France's hopes rest on the still-young shoulders of Kylian Mbappe, whose pace and mobility in the final third, and an ability to cut in behind the opposition's defensive lines, were instrumental to his stunning arrival on the world stage four years ago.
World Cup prospects
As defending champions, France clearly have the credentials to go all the way, although recent form might suggest that it will not be easy. Although Denmark might prove a tricky Group D opponent, passage to the knockout stages should not prove difficult, although that game will prove critical in deciding their last-16 opponents, with the group runner-up likely to meet Argentina in the last 16. Of course, to go deep at the World Cup, any team will have to overcome tough opponents, and France will be a team all other nations will hope to avoid. Best hope: another final countdown?
Read more about each of France's Group D opponents: