Everything seems in place for the qualification of the French team for the 2026 World Cup. After two gatherings, the Blues are on track to reach the American continent, which will host the 23rd edition of the tournament from June 11 to July 19, 2026 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Kylian Mbappé's teammates dominate Group D with 10 points, three more than Ukraine and six over Iceland, after four matches marked by several different compositions, notably due to injuries. During the October break, Florian Thauvin returned to the selection after six years, replacing Bradley Barcola, while Jean-Philippe Mateta honored his first two selections in the absence of Dembélé, Mbappé or Rayan Cherki.
As the World Cup approaches, Didier Deschamps will have to compose his starting lineup. An exercise that Samir Nasri took part in, Thursday on Canal+, by delivering his “dream eleven” for the 2026 World Cup. According to him, Mike Maignan must occupy the goals, Saliba and Upamecano play in the center of the defense, Koundé on the right and Digne on the left.
Two Parisians snubbed
“(Mike) Maignan in goal. For me, he is always one step ahead of (Lucas) Chevalier. (William) Saliba, (Dayot) Upamecano. Upamecano, if he repeats his performances with Bayern Munich, is for me a potential starter. (Jules) Koundé on the right because, for me, it's the best. On the left, Lucas Digne. He also benefits from Theo Hernandez being exiled in Saudi Arabia”detailed Nasri.
In the middle, Nasri is banking on the Tchouaméni-Koné duo, which he considers to be “the revelation” at the start of the season. In the attacking sector, he would see Olise on the right and Dembélé in the middle, while mentioning Cherki: “That’s the question mark. We'll have to see if he can win at Manchester City.”. Mbappé would occupy his favorite position on the left, despite his desire to play number 9. For their part, Désiré Doué and Bradley Barcola do not appear in this dream eleven.
