How France are set up structurally
France boss Didier Deschamps has named his official squad. It contains 26 players. France will head to the 2026 World Cup in the United States. The technical report points to a tweak in the usual setup. The basic tactical shape looks like a 4-2-3-1.
The positional split shows nine forwards in the group. There are five midfielders. The defensive screen leans on Aurélien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot. N’Golo Kante adds another option there. The coaching staff have deliberately kept the number of defence-minded midfielders down.
The make-up of the attack
The forward line is packed with players from major leagues. France’s group includes Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele and Kylian Mbappe. Michael Olise of Bayern Munich is in the squad. Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue are both included. Rayan Cherki represents Manchester City. Marcus Thuram, Maghnes Akliouche and Jean-Philippe Mateta complete the attacking ranks.
Deschamps has explained why so many attacking options have been picked. The idea is simple enough: create chances in the opposition half. But the players will also have to obey strict instructions when possession is lost if they want to keep the team shape intact.
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The numbers, the history and the schedule
This system is a clear break from previous tournaments. Antoine Griezmann used to provide the link in midfield at past finals. France scored four goals in six matches at Euro 2024. Their run ended in the semi-finals.
The Euro 2021 record tells its own story. The attacking trio of Karim Benzema, Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud ended up going out in the round of 16 against Switzerland. The current schedule now includes a match against Senegal. The staff will use that game to judge how well the new tactical plan is working.
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