World Cup 2026: Which Teams Protected a First-Half Lead?
Short answer: in the eight named team rows available for this comparison, 22 of 24 recorded first-half lead episodes were held through full time, (…)
France, known as Les Bleus, is one of international football’s enduring powers. Governed by the French Football Federation, the senior men’s selection combines a celebrated blue, white and red identity with a deep player-development culture. Its story includes World Cup triumphs, European Championship success and generations of influential players. The team’s profile also reflects France’s distinctive football landscape, from Clairefontaine and club academies to major fixtures staged around the country. This page brings together its identity, history and recorded sporting context.
Xtra rating
1888
Conservative: 1259
Rank national
4
Updated: 18 July 2026
France Upcoming matches by league
UEFA Nations League
-
- 1
Türkiye
France
-
- 2
Belgium
France
-
- 3
FranceNo H2HItaly
-
- 4
FranceNo H2HBelgium
France Last matches by league
UEFA Nations League
World Cup
Friendlies
World Cup - Qualification Europe
Euro Championship
France Team Roster
The 26-player France recorded roster, balances three goalkeepers, nine defenders, twelve midfielders and two attackers. B. Samba, M. Maignan and R. Risser form the goalkeeping group, while the defensive line includes I. Konaté, J. Koundé, W. Saliba, T. Hernández and D. Upamecano. Midfield options range from A. Tchouaméni, N. Kanté and O. Dembélé to M. Olise, R. Cherki and W. Zaïre-Emery. Kylian Mbappé and J. Mateta are the listed attackers. The numbered squad includes Mbappé in number 10 and Risser in number 23, with roles and shirt numbers recorded for this selection.
position Goalkeeper
1
Brice Lauriche Samba
GK
Congo
16
Mike Peterson Maignan
GK
Guyana
23
Robin Risser Birckel
GK
France
position Defender
2
Malo Gusto
DEF
France
3
Lucas Digne
DEF
France
4
Dayotchanculle Oswald Upamecano
DEF
France
5
Jules Olivier Koundé
DEF
France
15
Ibrahima Konaté
DEF
France
17
William Alain André Gabriel Saliba
DEF
France
19
Théo Bernard François Hernández
DEF
France
21
Lucas François Bernard Hernández
DEF
France
26
Maxence Guy Lacroix
DEF
France
position Midfielder
6
Kouadio Emmanuel Koné
MID
France
7
Masour Ousmane Dembélé
MID
France
8
Aurélien Djani Tchouaméni
MID
France
9
Marcus Lilian Thuram-Ulien
MID
Italy
11
Michael Akpovie Olise
MID
England
12
Bradley Barcola
MID
France
13
N'Golo Kanté
MID
France
14
Adrien Thibault Marie Rabiot-Provost
MID
France
18
Warren Zaïre-Emery
MID
France
20
Désiré Doué
MID
France
24
Mathis Rayan Cherki
MID
France
25
Maghnes Akliouche
MID
France
position Attacker
10
Kylian Mbappé Lottin
FWD
France
22
Jean-Philippe Mateta
FWD
France
Last France Coachs
Didier Deschamps is France’s head coach, having begun the role in July 2012. His tenure follows Laurent Blanc’s period from July 2010 to June 2012 and Raymond Domenech’s spell from July 2004 to June 2010. Roger Lemerre preceded them from July 1998 to July 2002. The recorded timeline also includes Raoul Caudron’s single 1930 entry, preserving a long historical reference while the modern sequence remains centred on the later appointments.
Didier Claude Deschamps
France
Coach since
1 July 2012
Coach until
History
| Coach | Coach country | Coach since | Coach until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Didier Claude Deschamps | France | 1 July 2012 | |
| Laurent Blanc | France | 1 July 2010 | 1 June 2012 |
| Raymond Domenech | France | 1 July 2004 | 1 June 2010 |
| Roger Lemerre | France | 1 July 1998 | 1 July 2002 |
| Raoul Caudron | France | 1 July 1930 | 1 July 1930 |
France Transfers
France’s additions occur through national selection rather than the club transfer market. Eligible players join a squad through federation call-ups, while established internationals may return to duty after an absence. The recorded 26-player roster shows the selected group for that snapshot, but it does not identify individual recent arrivals or establish a complete movement total. No signing, loan, fee or permanent transfer applies to this national team, so there are no named additions to report.
No transfers in
France’s departures are selection changes rather than club sales or loans. Players can be left out of a squad, withdraw from an international window or return to their clubs when national duty ends, with later eligibility and call-ups shaping the next group. The recorded 26-player roster is a selection snapshot, not evidence of a transfer list. No individual omission or withdrawal is identified, so there is no named departure to report.
No transfers out
Transfers Synthesis
France’s selection cycle is built around eligibility, call-ups, withdrawals, returns to duty and the composition of each international window. Unlike a club, the national team does not recruit through permanent transfers, loans or free-agent agreements. The 26-player recorded roster is therefore a snapshot of the federation’s chosen group, not a movement ledger or a season-long registration list. The absence of named arrival and departure records leaves no individual change to interpret, while the wider model remains fluid as players become available, are selected or are left outside a given squad. This approach links senior-team turnover to international fixtures and tournament preparation rather than market activity. France’s recorded participation includes the World Cup through 2026, alongside earlier European and Nations League entries, so selection decisions can be understood within recurring qualification, tournament and friendly windows.
Leagues France has participated in
France’s documented competition profile spans six international entries. The World Cup is the only competition with recent active participation, running from the first recorded 2010 entry through 2026. The Euro Championship is recorded from 2008 to 2024, while Friendlies and the UEFA Nations League run from 2017 and 2018 respectively through 2024. World Cup qualification in Europe is recorded for 2018 to 2024, and Euro Championship qualification appears for 2023. These latter entries are historical rather than current designations.
More about France
France’s senior men’s national team, commonly known as Les Bleus, represents France in international football. The team’s recorded founding year is 1919, and it is governed by the French Football Federation, the FFF. The federation’s international framework connects France to UEFA in Europe and FIFA worldwide, while the national selection draws on a broad domestic development system rather than a club ownership structure.
The identity of Les Bleus is closely tied to the blue home shirt, the French tricolour palette and the Gallic rooster on the crest. The rooster is a longstanding national symbol, while stars above the badge commemorate World Cup triumphs. Matches carry an unusually strong civic ritual: the national anthem, La Marseillaise, precedes play, and supporters associated with Les Irrésistibles Français add flags, singing and coordinated displays.
France does not rely on one permanent home venue. The Stade de France in Saint-Denis is the principal setting for major fixtures, but internationals also travel to stadiums across the country, including the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille and Groupama Stadium in Lyon. This national reach gives the team a presence that extends beyond a single local fan base.
French football history predates the 1919 record, with the first official international played against Belgium in 1904. Major eras include Just Fontaine’s prolific 1950s generation, the creative midfield of Michel Platini’s 1984 European Championship winners, and the late-1990s side that won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. The modern high point includes the 2018 World Cup title and a 2022 final appearance. France has also hosted the 1938 and 1998 World Cups and the European Championships of 1960, 1984 and 2016. Germany is a defining rival, with Italy and England also central to the team’s competitive history. The senior side is closely connected to INF Clairefontaine, youth national teams and professional academies, which form a renowned pathway into Les Bleus.
Last matches statistics for France
| match | shots | Poss. | Pass % | Fouls | Cards | Saves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
France
1 - 2
Ivory Coast
|
6 / 15 |
|
92 | 8 | - | 1 |
|
France
3 - 1
Northern Ireland
|
5 / 27 |
|
93 | 6 | - | 1 |
|
France
3 - 1
Senegal
|
8 / 11 |
|
88 | 5 | - | 2 |
|
France
3 - 0
Iraq
|
5 / 19 |
|
90 | 8 | - | 0 |
|
Norway
1 - 4
France
|
9 / 18 |
|
86 | 11 | 1 | 3 |
|
France
3 - 0
Sweden
|
12 / 25 |
|
88 | 14 | - | 3 |
|
Paraguay
0 - 1
France
|
5 / 15 |
|
90 | 11 | 3 | 1 |
|
France
2 - 0
Morocco
|
8 / 22 |
|
89 | 10 | - | 1 |
|
France
0 - 2
Spain
|
3 / 10 |
|
84 | 11 | 2 | 0 |
|
France
4 - 6
England
|
9 / 19 |
|
91 | 14 | - | 4 |
Detailed statistics France
Xtra rating history
Last rating points (most recent matches).
shots France
Warnings France
Passes France
Goalkeeper saves France
Latest start lineups France (XI)
France vs Spain
World Cup 2026 - 1585131
Paraguay vs France
World Cup 2026 - 1569870
France vs Sweden
World Cup 2026 - 1565177
France vs Iraq
World Cup 2026 - 1539017
France vs Senegal
World Cup 2026 - 1489383
France vs Northern Ireland
Friendlies 2026 - 1542183
2021
1st shirt
2021
2nd shirt
2020
1st shirt
2018-2019
1st shirt
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