The Blues are set. Saturday evening, at around 7 p.m., the players of the France team and Didier Deschamps discovered the identity of their next opponents at Euro 2024: the France team will face Austria, the Netherlands and a play-off during the group stage of the tournament, in 6 months.
The Blues can therefore look forward to the great adventure in Germany, after a very satisfactory year 2023. But with which group? Unlike previous editions, Didier Deschamps seems determined to quickly clear his list. During the last meeting of the year, two weeks ago, the coach clarified that there would be little chance of seeing new faces arrive next spring. This is what the list of 23 could look like.
Guardians: everything is frozen
Among the goalkeepers, there should be no surprises. Mike Maignan succeeded captain Hugo Lloris with great success. The AC Milan goalkeeper is the undisputed number 1 in a position where Lensois Brice Samba and the historic Alphonse Areola are promised to the respective roles of number 2 and number 3. Young Lucas Chevallier (Lille) and Guillaume Restes (Toulouse) still have to prove themselves under the tutelage of Thierry Henry, while Alban Lafont (Nantes) has fallen behind.
Goalkeepers potentially retained : Maignan, Samba, Areola.
Defenders: a bunch of centrals and 2 professional full-backs?
As during the World Cup in Qatar, Didier Deschamps could still rely on a large number of professional central defenders. Dayot Upamecano, Ibrahima Konaté, Lucas Hernandez, Benjamin Pavard, Jules Koundé and William Saliba enjoy real status in the group. A group to which two offensive full-backs should be added: the now indispensable Théo Hernandez and the Marseillais Jonathan Clauss, who has successfully returned to the landscape. Jean-Clair Todibo, Wesley Fofana and Castello Lukeba have not said their last word.
Potentially retained defenders : Upamecano, Konaté, Koundé, Pavard, L. Hernandez, T. Hernandez, Clauss.
Midfielders: a clear hierarchy
In the midfield, the repositioning of Antoine Griezmann is a great success of the last World Cup. The vice-captain remains a dinosaur of the group. But alongside him, Adrien Rabiot, Aurélien Tchouaméni and Eduardo Camavinga seem almost certain to include the list if they are operational. Monegasque Youssouf Fofana also scored points, while prodigy Warren Zaire-Emery emerges as the first alternative to complete this sector; although Boubacar Kamara or Jordan Veretout still have a card to play.
Potentially retained midfielders : Griezmann, Rabiot, Tchouaméni, Camavinga, Y. Fofana, Zaire-Emery.
Attack: Kyky’s gang
Captain Kylian Mbappé will find essentially the same attack accomplices as in Qatar. The eternal Olivier Giroud, the versatile Marcus Thuram, but also his club teammates Ousmane Dembélé and Randal Kolo Muani have enough experience in Blue to project themselves into this Euro, just like Kingsley Coman, one of the oldest elements of the band. Young Mathys Tel and Elye Wahi must confirm their promises at the highest level to knock on the A’s door.
Potentially retained attackers : Mbappé, Giroud, Dembélé, Coman, M. Thuram, Kolo Muani.
