France coach at peace after announcing squad
Didier Deschamps named his final 25-player roster for the 2022 Qatar World Cup and feels totally calm heading into it.
France head coach Didier Deschamps opted against selecting the maximum 26 players and announced his 25-man squad for the upcoming 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
They will be without Paul Pogo and N’Golo Kante, both suffering from injuries. However, several players will be making their first World Cup appearance, including Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni, William Saliba, Ibriahima Konate, and Christopher Nkunku.
France full World Cup squad
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (West Ham), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Steve Mandanda (Rennes)
Defenders: Lucas Hernandez (Bayern Munich), Theo Hernandez (AC Milan), Presnel Kimpembe (PSG), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich), Raphael Varane (Man Utd)
Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), Youssouf Fofana (Monaco), Matteo Guendouzi (Marseille), Adrien Rabiot (Juventus), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid), Jordan Veretout (Marseille)
Forwards: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich), Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona), Olivier Giroud (AC Milan), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), Kylian Mbappe (PSG), Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig)
See also: Varane included on France’s 2022 World Cup roster after injury
“I’m in the same state of mind as before every major competition,” said Deschamps. “I’m focused on the competition. There will be an aftermath. Like any coach or club coach, I am bound to results. But I don’t have that concern. That gives me freedom, total peace of mind.”
France, of course, won the last World Cup in Russia in 2018. Going into this as former champions can actually be a negative thing for them. The last time they came into a World Cup as defending champs, they defeated in humiliating fashion by Senegal in the opening game, and eliminated at the group stage with no wins or goals in three matches.
“We have an immense challenge ahead of us, which is immense in the fact that there is nothing above a World Cup, and with the difficulty of performing four years after having this world title,” said Deschamps. “That’s the difficulty, but I am fully committed, my staff is fully committed, and I have great confidence in this group of 25 players.”
France will play their first game against Australia on November 22, followed by Denmark and Tunisia over the following eight days.