France
Coach: Didier Deschamps
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Star Players
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Fixtures
Group I
Full Squad Players List
| # | Player | Pos | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | |||
| 1 | Brice Samba Stade Rennais FC | GK | |
| 16 | Mike MaignanXI AC Milan | GK | |
| 23 | Robin Risser RC Lens | GK | |
| Defenders | |||
| 2 | Malo GustoXI Chelsea FC | DEF | |
| 3 | Lucas Digne Aston Villa FC | DEF | |
| 4 | Dayot UpamecanoXI FC Bayern München | DEF | |
| 5 | Jules Koundé FC Barcelona | DEF | |
| 15 | Ibrahima Konaté Liverpool FC | DEF | |
| 17 | William SalibaXI Arsenal FC | DEF | |
| 19 | Théo HernándezXI Al Hilal SC | DEF | |
| 21 | Lucas Hernández Paris Saint-Germain | DEF | |
| 26 | Maxence Lacroix Crystal Palace FC | DEF | |
| Midfielders | |||
| 6 | Manu Koné AS Roma | MID | |
| 8 | Aurélien TchouaméniXI Real Madrid C. F. | MID | |
| 13 | N'Golo KantéXI Fenerbahçe SK | MID | |
| 14 | Adrien Rabiot AC Milan | MID | |
| 18 | Warren Zaïre-Emery Paris Saint-Germain | MID | |
| 24 | Rayan Cherki Manchester City FC | MID | |
| 25 | Maghnes Akliouche AS Monaco | MID | |
| Forwards | |||
| 7 | Ousmane DembéléXI Paris Saint-Germain | FWD | |
| 9 | Marcus Thuram FC Internazionale Milano | FWD | |
| 10 | Kylian MbappéXI Real Madrid C. F. | FWD | |
| 11 | Michael OliseXI FC Bayern München | FWD | |
| 12 | Bradley Barcola Paris Saint-Germain | FWD | |
| 20 | Désiré DouéXI Paris Saint-Germain | FWD | |
| 22 | Jean-Philippe Mateta Crystal Palace FC | FWD | |
World Cup History
1998, 2018
Titles
16
Appearances
120
WC Goals
39
Wins
Best finish: Champions (×2)
Top scorer: Just Fontaine (13 goals)
Most capped: Hugo Lloris (19 matches)
Record: 39W – 15D – 22L
France are two-time World Champions with one of the most dramatic World Cup histories in football. They contributed the greatest single-tournament scoring record ever (Fontaine, 1958), produced one of the greatest midfields of the 1980s (Platini), and have been the epicentre of two of the most emotional finals in the modern era — Zidane's headbutt in 2006 and Mbappé's hat-trick in a 2022 final that still ended in defeat.
Tournament Eras
Fontaine's Record — 1958
1958Just Fontaine scored 13 goals in a single World Cup tournament — a record that has stood for 68 years and is considered statistically unreachable. France finished third. Fontaine's tally remains one of football's most extraordinary individual achievements.
The Platini Era — The Best Team That Never Won
1978–1986Michel Platini led one of the most technically gifted French sides ever through two near-misses. In 1982 they lost a stunning semi-final to West Germany (the 'Night of Seville') on penalties. In 1986, Platini's France again finished third. A team that played some of the most beautiful football in tournament history, but never lifted the trophy.
Les Bleus — 1998 on Home Soil
1998France won their first World Cup on home soil under Aimé Jacquet. Zinedine Zidane headed in two goals in the first half of the final against Brazil, and France won 3-0 to send the country into delirium. A multicultural squad — Zidane, Thuram, Desailly, Vieira — became the symbol of a unified nation.
Zidane's Headbutt — The 2006 Farewell
2006In his final professional match, a 34-year-old Zidane was sent off in extra time of the 2006 final for headbutting Italian defender Marco Materazzi. France lost on penalties. The moment remains the most discussed single incident in World Cup finals history — the genius undone by a moment of madness.
The Mbappé Generation
2018–2022In 2018, a 19-year-old Mbappé helped France win their second title — the youngest French scorer at a World Cup. In 2022, France reached the final again. Mbappé scored a hat-trick including a stunning late equaliser in normal time, but France lost on penalties to Argentina in one of the greatest finals ever played.
Iconic Moments
Zidane's 2006 Headbutt
With France level and in extra time, Zinedine Zidane — playing his last career match — headbutted Italian defender Materazzi after a verbal exchange and was sent off. France lost on penalties. The image of the greatest player of his generation walking off in shame past the World Cup trophy is one of sport's most haunting.
Mbappé's Hat-Trick — The Final That Had Everything
With France 3-1 down and seconds remaining, Mbappé scored from the spot and then volleyed in a stunning equaliser to make it 3-3, before adding a third in a shootout France ultimately lost. His individual display in a losing cause was arguably the greatest final performance in World Cup history.
Just Fontaine's 13 — An Eternal Record
Fontaine scored 13 goals across six matches in the 1958 tournament — the most goals scored by any player in a single World Cup. No player has come closer than six goals away from the record in the 68 years since.
Zidane's Two Headers — 1998 Final
On home soil in Saint-Denis, Zidane headed in twice in the first half as France crushed a surprisingly subdued Brazil 3-0. The scenes across France that night — the Arc de Triomphe, Place de la Concorde — were described as the most joyful the country had seen since Liberation.