France field youngest starting XI since 1930 World Cup
Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé both started against Australia as Les Bleus began their World Cup campaign in Kazan on Saturday.
Didier Deschamps put his faith in youth after naming France's youngest side for an opening World Cup fixture in 88 years. Rising stars Kylian Mbappé, 19, and Ousmane Dembélé, 21, both start for Les Bleus in the Group C clash against Australia in Kazan on Saturday.
France place faith in youth
The duo were joined by Antoine Griezmann, who will be in action for the first time since confirming he will remain at Atlético de Madrid for the 2018-19 season. Deschamps has also fielded two 22-year-old defenders in Benjamin Pavard - who plays for Stuttgart, and Lucas Hernández, a club colleague of Griezmann's at Atlético. There was also a place for midfielder Corentin Tolisso, who is 23, in an XI captained by Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, the veteran of the bunch at the grand old age of 31.
With an average age of 24 years and six months, it is the youngest XI to appear for France in their first fixture at a World Cup since the side that faced Mexico at the 1930 tournament in Uruguay.