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The France national football team has unveiled its official 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a selection that has sparked widespread discussion due to several notable omissions.
Head coach Didier Deschamps has named a strong group featuring established stars such as Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, William Saliba, and N’Golo Kante. However, the announcement has also been marked by the absence of a number of high-profile international players.
Deschamps has explained his approach to squad selection, emphasizing that the final list is not based purely on individual talent, but rather on balance and overall team cohesion.
Speaking to French broadcaster TF1, the 57-year-old said the squad should be seen as a unified group rather than simply the 26 best players individually. “It’s a squad, not necessarily the 26 best players. It’s about balance and how the team comes together,” he said.
Among the most surprising exclusions is midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, who has been left out despite his regular involvement at the club level. He is joined on the list of omissions by Youssouf Fofana, Khephren Thuram, Matteo Guendouzi and Senny Mayulu.
Defensively, France’s depth is further highlighted by the absence of Benjamin Pavard, Wesley Fofana, Leny Yoro, Jean-Clair Todibo, and Castello Lukeba, all of whom have been considered strong candidates in recent international cycles. Jonathan Clauss and Axel Disasi also did not make the final selection.
In attack, several established forwards have been left out, including Karim Benzema, Antoine Griezmann, Kingsley Coman, Christopher Nkunku, Randal Kolo Muani and Olivier Giroud. Younger talents such as Mathys Tel and Eli Junior Kroupi were also omitted from the squad.
In goal, Hugo Lloris, Alphonse Areola, and Lucas Chevalier were not included in the final selection.
France will compete in Group I of the tournament alongside Senegal, Iraq and Norway.
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