World Cup 2022: France preview

France have arguably the most talented player pool of any nation heading to World Cup 2022, but coach Didier Deschamps has struggled to find the right combination to get the best out of his team.

Deschamps became just the third man to win the World Cup as both a player and a manager, when he coached France to glory in Russia in 2018.

However, they have been inconsistent since then, going unbeaten in World Cup 2022 qualifying and winning the 2020-21 Nations League, but also being knocked out in the last 16 of Euro 2020.

France’s squad and experience means they could well win their country’s third World Cup. However, the team who are the reigning champions have been knocked out in the group stages of the last three World Cups and France will be desperate to avoid the same fate as Italy, Spain, and Germany.

Read on to inform your predictions for France at World Cup 2022.

Manager: Didier Deschamps

Key player: Kylian Mbappé

FIFA World Ranking (at time of writing): 4th

Recent performances: World Cup 2018 – Champions, World Cup 2014 – Quarter-finals

Odds to win Group D: 1.507*

Odds to win World Cup 2022: 7.010*

All times listed are AEST.

November 23, 06:00: France vs. Australia

November 27, 03:00: France vs. Denmark

December 1, 02:00: Tunisia vs. France

France will expect to top their group, as they have done at the last two World Cups. However, they will need to improve their recent form, having twice lost to group rivals Denmark in the Nations League.

Those two teams meet at Doha’s Stadium 974 on November 27 and their game could decide who tops the group.

France should beat both Australia and Tunisia, and it is almost inconceivable that they will not make the knockout stages.

Whoever they select, France are expected to take a fabulous squad to World Cup 2022. They have retained the core of the team that won in Russia, but now arguably have a deeper player pool.

Karim Benzema has returned to the group over the last two years and forms a mighty forward line alongside Mbappé, who is priced at 9.630* to win the Golden Boot, and Antoine Griezmann.

Goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris remains among the elite and while they have a major doubt over N’Golo Kante, who (at the time of writing) has not played since August, they can fall back on the Real Madrid pair of Eduardo Camavinga and Aurélien Tchouamén in midfield. France will be without Paul Pogba who has pulled out of the World Cup due to injury. 

However, there is uncertainty over their defence. Three of the back four who won in Russia - Benjamin Pavard, Raphaël Varane, and Lucas Hernandez - are all likely to play in Qatar, but the coach could now play a back three rather than a back four.

Deschamps started World Cup 2018 with a 4-3-3, but soon switched to a 4-2-3-1, with Blaise Matuidi stationed as a defensive winger on the left, while the back four were all natural central defenders.

Such are France’s attacking options since the last World Cup, Deschamps has often favoured a back three to try and provide balance to his team.

However, his 3-4-2-1 and 3-4-1-2 set-ups are still to really fire, with Benzema, Mbappé, and Griezmann heavily relied upon to produce moments of magic in attack.

If France click, they could go all the way. If everything works out as expected, they should top Group D and then will potentially face either Poland or Mexico in the round of 16, before potentially taking on England in the quarter-finals.

Deschamps will feel confident about coming through that test. However, Denmark’s presence in Group D means France could slip up, with the consequence of potentially facing Argentina (if they can top Group C) in the round of 16, and their odds to win Group D look very short at 1.507*.

Their inconsistency over the last few years, going out early at Euro 2020 and struggling in this year’s Nations League, means their price of 7.010* to win World Cup 2022 also feels short.