France FIFA WC 2026 Squad | Deschamps Draws His Final Line: Camavinga and Griezmann Pay the Price

There is something almost Shakespearean about the way Didier Deschamps operates.

He has carried France to back-to-back World Cup finals, built a dynasty on ruthless pragmatism, and now, as the curtain falls on his reign as head coach, he has made the most unsentimentally French of statements: nobody, no matter their legend, is safe.

Eduardo Camavinga and Antoine Griezmann, architects of France's unforgettable 2022 run to the final, where they fell to Argentina, have both been left out of the squad for the FIFA World Cup.

"His season made him lose his place. Injuries too. And the competition, which is very strong in the position," the coach told the assembled press.

Real Madrid's 2025-26 season was a chastening one with no major silverware and a UEFA Champions League quarterfinal exit.

Why did Griezmann, Kolo Muani and Ekitike miss out on the France World Cup squad?

Griezmann, the other notable absentee from that 2022 campaign, joins Camavinga on the outside looking in.

So does Randal Kolo Muani, currently on loan at Tottenham, whose omission is perhaps less surprising given his difficult period in club football.

PSG goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier also misses out, as does Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike, who suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in April, a painful but expected exclusion.

Kylian Mbappe and Ballon d'Or holder Ousmane Dembele will lead a star-studded French attack.

Mbappe, whose 56 international goals trail only Olivier Giroud's record of 57, is expected to captain the side despite managing a thigh injury in recent weeks.

The Real Madrid forward's place at the top of the order was never seriously in doubt, even as questions swirled about his fitness heading into the tournament.

Dembele arrives at the World Cup in the form of his life. The PSG forward scored 35 goals last season and won the Champions League, becoming only the second French player this century to be crowned Ballon d'Or.

Yet, for all his club magnificence, he is yet to score at a World Cup, having featured in the previous two squads without finding the net.

France is a part of Group I and will be competing against Senegal, Iraq and Norway in the group stage, with their campaign starting from June 16 in New Jersey against Senegal.

France World Cup squad:

Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan, Brice Samba, Robin Risser.

Defenders: Lucas Digne, Malo Gusto, Lucas Hernandez, Theo Hernandez, Ibrahima Konate, Jules Kounde, Maxence Lacroix, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano.

Midfielders: N'Golo Kante, Manu Kone, Adrien Rabiot, Aurelien Tchouameni, Warren Zaire-Emery.

Forwards: Maghnes Akliouche, Bradley Barcola, Rayan Cherki, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise, Marcus Thuram.

(With inputs from ANI)