Mbappe and Dembele Lead France World Cup Squad

Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele will lead a star-studded France attack after Didier Deschamps announced his 26-man squad for this summer’s World Cup.

Only Olivier Giroud (57) has scored more than Mbappe’s 56 goals for France, with the Real Madrid forward expected to captain his country despite recent struggles with a thigh injury.

Dembele scored 35 goals and won the Champions League with Paris St-Germain last season but is yet to score at a World Cup despite featuring in the past two squads.

Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise and Dembele’s PSG team-mate Desire Doue complete an exciting attacking quartet while Lyon playmaker Rayan Cherki and Arsenal defender William Saliba are among seven Premier League-based players in the squad.

Full-back Lucas Hernandez and midfielder N’Golo Kante join Mbappe and Dembele as the only survivors from France’s 2018 World Cup-winning group.

Deschamps, who has led France to back-to-back World Cup finals, has made a few surprise calls ahead of his final major tournament as head coach.

There is no place in the squad for Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga or Tottenham’s Randal Kolo Muani – both of whom were involved in 2022.

PSG goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier also misses out, with uncapped Lens goalkeeper Robin Risser joining Brice Samba as back-up to Mike Maignan.

Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, who suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in April, is a notable, but expected, absentee.

“It’s a squad. Not necessarily the 26 best players. It’s about balance and how the team comes together,” Deschamps told French TV channel TF1.

“I can imagine how disappointed [Camavinga] must be. He’s coming off a tough season where he didn’t play as much and suffered injuries. [But] I’ve got decisions to make and a squad to put together.”

France will begin their campaign against Senegal in New Jersey on 16 June, with further Group I matches against Iraq (22 June) and Norway (26 June).

France World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Robin Risser (Lens), Brice Samba (Rennes)
Defenders: Lucas Digne (Aston Villa), Malo Gusto (Chelsea), Lucas Hernandez (Paris St-Germain), Theo Hernandez (Al Hilal), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)
Midfielders: N’Golo Kante (Fenerbahçe), Manu Kone (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid), Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris St-Germain)
Forwards: Maghnes Akliouche (Monaco), Bradley Barcola (Paris St-Germain), Rayan Cherki (Lyon), Ousmane Dembele (Paris St-Germain), Desire Doue (Paris St-Germain), Michael Olise (Crystal Palace), Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid), Jean-Phillipe Mateta (Crystal Palace), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan)