The 2018 World Cup winners in Russia are preparing for another major tournament this summer. France are also the side looking to make the double by winning Euro 2020 scheduled in 2021. Manager Didier Deschamps selected 26 players from a pool of high-profile players in the country with startling squad depth.
The headline of the squad selection was the return of Karim Benzema to the national side. PSG star and World Cup hero Kylian Mbappe will play his second major international competition.
France UEFA Euro 2020 Squad :
Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Steve Mandanda (Marseille), Mike Maignan (Lille)
Defenders: Leo Dubois (Lyon), Benjamin Pavard (Bayern), Kurt Zouma (Chelsea), Jules Kounde (Sevilla), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid ), Clement Lenglet (Barcelona), Presnel Kimpembe (PSG), Lucas Digne (Everton), Lucas Hernandez (Bayern)
Midfielders: N'Golo Kante (Chelsea), Paul Pogba (Manchester United), Adrien Rabiot (Juventus), Corentin Tolisso (Bayern), Moussa Sissoko (Tottenham)
Forwards: Thomas Lemar (Atletico), Marcus Thuram (Gladbach), Kingsley Coman (Bayern), Wissam Ben Yedder (Monaco), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Olivier Giroud (Chelsea), Kylian Mbappe (PSG), Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona), Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona)
Key Player: Kylian Mbappe
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It's hard to find one definitive individual in this French squad. Stuffed with star names in all areas of the pitch, the team is more of a team than a one-man show. Still, it feels Kylian Mbappe will be the player Les Bleus are counting on again. The 22-year-old set the world on fire in the 2018 World Cup, becoming the second-youngest scorer in a World Cup final at just 19 years of age. Mbappe has gone on to become a generational talent in the sport. The PSG starlet is desperate to make the most of the European Championship and overturn France's disappointment in 2016. Mbappe's explosive pace, agility, acceleration, composure and clinical finishing are set to give defenders all sources of nightmare. He is well adhered to creating chances and delivering necessary assists on the way.
Strengths
The midfield of the French national team is a class above the rest. The ever-dependable Chelsea N'Golo Kante is a one-man army in midfield. The way the 30 year old play is breathtaking to watch. He will be placed in a more natural defensive midfielder role to allow Paul Pogba & Tolisso, Rabiot to help out the attack. The forward line is itself capable of turning up the gear now and then.
France added another dimension to their attack by recalling Karim Benzema to international duty. The 33-year-old last played in a major tournament in the 2014 World Cup before being banned from the national team by the manager Didier Deschamps due to a scandal he was involved in. After a couple of stellar seasons with Real Madrid, Deschamps was forced to bring him in the fold in an attack that already sustains peril names like Oliver Giroud and Kylian Mbappe. Barcelona star Antoine Griezmann will be hoping his tantalizing Euro 2016 form hits at the right moment in which he bagged the golden boot by netting six and was also awarded the player of the tournament prize.
It will be foolish to not mention the defense. Just as glamorous as the midfield and attack, the back four will be hard to breach. France is head and shoulders above anyone with the mind-blowing depth they have in every department. It is so good that it feels like Deschamps doesn't have to call in extra players to fill in the void in times of injuries other than the squad members. All of them sustain similar quality and experience in them. France can make several teams with players of equal magnitude. This makes them deadly on the pitch.
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Weakness:
There is no relatable weakness for France. A team studded with so much quality and quantity at the same time is immune to any weaknesses as it feels. However, France have shown signs of getting carried away with their strength and usual dominance. Like most other heavyweight nations, they have fallen prey to the clogged glory mindset. But it rarely lets them down and the personnel in the team are a module to rescue them from tough situations. This makes them even more dangerous.
France are a hot favorite to lift the Euro trophy in the latest edition of the European Championship. Les Bleus were close to doing the same in 2016 but an Eder goal for Portugal crushed their dreams of winning a major silverware as hosts. This time the World champions are ready to rewrite their chapter of success with their phenom players.
For more information, Stay tuned to our section Euro 2020
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