Mbappe, Dembele head up France squad for 2026 World Cup
PARIS: Kylian Mbappe will spearhead France at the World Cup after coach Didier Deschamps on Thursday announced his 26-man squad for this summer’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Deschamps, who guided France to World Cup glory in 2018 and will leave his role after the 2026 edition, included few surprises. “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. “The overriding and essential criterion (for selection) is a sporting one,” the 57-year-old later explained to journalists. Mbappe will likely captain the team from the get-go despite a thigh injury sustained last month, which caused him to miss key matches in Real Madrid’s La Liga run-in. The 27-year-old will be joined on the plane to North America by an array of attacking talent such as Ballon d’Or holder Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue of Paris Saint-Germain, as well as Bayern Munich winger Michael Olize. Rayan Cherki will make his World Cup debut. The 22-year-old playmaker has enjoyed a sparkling debut season at Manchester City, while his Premier League rival William Saliba of Arsenal will provide defensive solidity for Les Bleus. Dayot Upamecano of Bundesliga champions Bayern will be expected to partner Saliba in the heart of the France defense, with Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate and Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix also included.