France confirmed starting lineup for the Round of 16 game vs Poland

France will continue their quest to defend their World Cup title when they face Poland in the Round of 16. Here are the confirmed starters for the team.

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Gidget Alikpala

Gidget writes for the latest news section of AS USA, covering breaking news and current affairs. She previously worked for TV for many years, both on and off-camera, as anchor, producer, and writer, reporting on topics from international to lifestyle news. She earned her master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Update: Dec 4th, 2022 15:34 EST

Reigning World Cup champions France will go up against Poland in the knockout stage on Sunday, Dec. 4 at Al-Thumama Stadium. Both teams lost their last games in the group phase and are seeking to secure a place in the quarterfinals.

France finished in first place in Group D, while Poland managed a second-place finish in Group C. This is the first time in team history that Les Bleus have advanced to three consecutive Group of 16 phases.

France to bring in the stars

The team is expected to make a lot of changes to their lineup, as other members were given playing time in their third group game.

France manager Didier Deschamps brought in the second-stringers for their 1-0 loss to Tunisia, and will once again field top players Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Olivier Giroud, who all got some rest after being kept in reserve for one game.

Kylian Mbappe now has more World Cup goals for France than Thierry Henry, who played in four World Cups.

HE'S ONLY 23 YEARS OLD! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/6HNV0eBhyk
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) November 26, 2022

Don't miss France vs Poland in the Round of 16

WORLD CUP 2022

Leo Messi, 1,000 not out

Defender Theo Hernandez is recovering from a bruised ankle, but the injury will not stop him from playing against Poland. The wing-back will return to action along with Jules Kounde, after they were replaced by Axel Disasi and Eduardo Camavinga in their Tunisian showdown.

France: Heavy favorites

Despite their shocking loss, France is expected to advance to the quarterfinals with little difficulty. They last lost to Poland in 1982, and have prevailed in seven successive matches since, the last time in a 2011 friendly.

Italy 2010 ❌
Spain 2014 ❌
Germany 2018 ❌

France are the first holders since Brazil in 2006 to make it out of their World Cup group 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/yuZRReggcn
— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 26, 2022