Four months before the 2026 World Cup, the hierarchy of French goalkeepers behind Mike Maignan is seriously complicated. If the AC Milan goalkeeper remains indisputable, his understudies are going through a much more delicate period. Lucas Chevalier (PSG), Brice Samba (Rennes) and Alphonse Areola (West Ham) all started the weekend… on the bench. For Samba, in withdrawal this season, the sidelining seems cyclical, possibly linked to tensions with his former coach Habib Beye, and his status could quickly be restored.
On the other hand, Areola’s situation is more worrying: a starter until then with the Hammers, the Frenchman was replaced by Mads Hermansen after irregular performances and has still not signed the slightest clean sheet this season, a negative signal as a major competition approaches. The clearest case remains that of Lucas Chevalier. Arriving at PSG to take a step forward, the young international lost his place to Safonov and no longer benefits from sufficient playing time to show himself, between the absence of the Coupe de France and a limited rotation in Ligue 1. Starting with the Blues in November, he could now see the World Cup slip away from him if he does not play again quickly.
Robin Risser and Jean Butez observed by the French team staff
These uncertainties open the door to other profiles. The Team explains that more efficient goalkeepers like Jean Butez, solid with Côme in Serie A, or the Lensois Robin Risser, author of a remarkable season in Artois, are more than credible candidates to shake up the hierarchy. The two goalkeepers would even be observed by the Blues staff. A terrible disavowal for Chevalier who now finds himself in the hot seat even though he started in the last meeting of Didier Deschamps’ men against Azerbaijan in November (3-1).
Faced with this emergency, Lucas Chevalier will also have to reassure about his level while he is surely experiencing the most complicated season since the start of his young career. You will have understood, four months before the world tournament, Chevalier has his work cut out for him. In this very specific position, the French hierarchy, long frozen, could well be upset at the worst moment for the former LOSC goalkeeper who will quickly have to find a starting place in Paris if he does not want to see his chances dwindle even further.
