Deschamps names France’s 26-man World Cup squad

France Names 26-Man World Cup Squad as Deschamps Prepares for Final Tournament

Didier Deschamps announced his final 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday, capping months of speculation over who would make the cut for what will be the longtime coach’s farewell tournament at the helm of Les Bleus.yahoo

A Squad Built Around Proven Stars

France, ranked No. 1 in the world, will travel to the United States, Canada, and Mexico with a roster headlined by Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembélé, the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner. The attacking contingent also includes Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise, Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki, and PSG duo Désiré Doué and Bradley Barcola, giving Deschamps an embarrassment of riches in forward positions.sportingnews

The midfield features the experienced spine of N’Golo Kanté, Adrien Rabiot, and Aurélien Tchouaméni, alongside the emerging Warren Zaïre-Emery and Manu Koné. At the back, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano, Jules Koundé, and Ibrahima Konaté form a defense that Sporting News described as among the strongest in the tournament. Mike Maignan of AC Milan is expected to start in goal.sportingnews

Notable Omissions Spark Debate

The squad announcement was not without controversy. Randal Kolo Muani, who plays for Tottenham Hotspur, had seen his World Cup hopes fade after falling out of favor with Deschamps across recent selections. L’Équipe had reported in March that Kolo Muani was “highly unlikely” to make the plane absent injuries to other forwards. Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga’s place had also been in doubt for weeks after a difficult season in which he was reduced to a fringe role under new management at the Bernabéu. French outlet Telefoot had reported that Deschamps was “not fully convinced” by Camavinga’s recent form. Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike was ruled out after rupturing his Achilles tendon in the Champions League earlier this season.worldsoccertalk

Deschamps’ Last Dance

France open their Group I campaign against Senegal on June 16 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, followed by matches against Iraq and Norway. The tournament represents the final chapter of Deschamps’ remarkable tenure, which began in 2012 and produced a World Cup title in Russia in 2018 and a runner-up finish in Qatar four years later. He remains one of only three people to have won the World Cup as both a player, captaining France to glory on home soil in 1998, and as a coach.olympics