Didier Deschamps has announced his 26-man squad for the upcoming World Cup, placing a significant emphasis on players currently competing in Ligue 1. A total of eight players from the French top flight have been selected for the tournament in Boston this summer, a rise from the six who featured in the 2022 squad. Paris Saint-Germain are the most represented club, contributing four players to Deschamps’ final selection.
The Ligue 1 contingent includes Robin Risser of Lens, Brice Samba of Rennes, and a quartet from PSG: Lucas Hernandez, Warren Zaïre-Emery, Maghnes Akliouche, Bradley Barcola, and Ousmane Dembélé, alongside Désiré Doué. This represents a clear shift towards recognizing talent within the domestic league as Deschamps prepares for what he has indicated will be his final World Cup as France’s manager.
The Premier League also features prominently, with seven players selected from English clubs. Lucas Digne (Aston Villa), Malo Gusto (Chelsea), Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool), Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace), William Saliba (Arsenal), Rayan Cherki (Manchester City), and Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace) all earn call-ups. Notably, Crystal Palace have as many players included as Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.
Serie A provides four representatives to the French squad. The selection also includes six players who are eligible for the France Olympic team in 2024, suggesting Deschamps is building for both the present and the future. One player of French youth international level has chosen to represent Morocco, though details were not immediately available. Deschamps has also addressed the situation surrounding Théo Hernandez, though the specifics of that discussion remain undisclosed. Kylian Mbappé and the rest of the squad have reacted to their inclusion in the final roster, with further details expected in upcoming interviews.
