France squad guide, full fixtures, group and key players
20 years after winning on home soil, can Pogba step up to leads France's charge in Russia?
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Didier Deschamps' side boasts some of the most exciting young players in the game and a deadly poacher in Antoine Griezmann.
Anything less than a place in the semi-finals would be a huge disaster.
Captain: Hugo Lloris
Manager: Didier Deschamps
Nickname: Les Bleus
FIFA World Cup history (15 appearances, Champions in 1998)
Fixtures
France Vs Australia
France Vs Peru
France Vs Denmark
Key Men
1. Antoine Griezmann
Griezmann has been one of the most brilliant frontmen in world football and is set for the World Cup on the back of another fantastic season at Atletico Madrid.
He scored 29 goals in all competition and led the Spanish giants to the 2018 Europa League title.
It is the titles he now has to deliver for France having disappointed on the big stage for the national team.
He didn’t impress much at Euro 2016 and that disappointment is still fresh in the memory of millions of French.
He needs to erase those painful memories in Russia.
2. Paul Pogba
Although he still flatters to deceive, Paul Pogba remains one of the most exciting midfielders in the world.
On the back of a just above season with Manchester United where he reportedly fell out with his manager Jose Mourinho-he has also had problems with France boss Deschamps, Pogba will be looking to shut all doubters up with a fantastic World Cup.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Alphone Areola (PSG), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur), Steve Mandanda (Marseille)
Defenders: Lucas Hernandez (Atletico Madrid), Presnel Kimpembe (PSG), Benjamin Pavard (Stuttgart), Benjamin Mendy (Manchester City), Djibril Sidibe (Monaco), Adil Rami (Marseille), Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid)
Midfielders: Blaise Matuidi (Juventus), N'Golo Kante (Chelsea), Steven N'Zonzi (Sevilla), Paul Pogba (Manchester United), Corentin Tolisso (Bayern Munich)
Forwards: Olivier Giroud (Chelsea), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), Kylian Mbappe (PSG), Thomas Lemar (Monaco), Nabil Fekir (Lyon), Florian Thauvin (Marseille), Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona)
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