The France World Cup squad has been announced for the World Cup 2026 and as expected, there are a number of major names who missed out of the slim 26-man group headed to the USA. In this, we will be discussing some of the bigger names and performers who were left out of the squad entirely.
Read More: Spain Preliminary World Cup 2026 Squad Announced
France World Cup Squad 2026 – The Biggest Absences
The 26-Man France World Cup Squad
- Mike Maignan
- Robin Risser
- Brice Samba
- Lucas Digne
- Malo Gusto
- Lucas Hernandez
- Theo Hernandez
- Ibrahima Konate
- Jules Kounde
- Maxence Lacroix
- William Saliba
- Dayot Upamecano
- N’Golo Kante
- Manu Kone
- Adrien Rabiot
- Aurélien Tchouaméni
- Warren Zaire-Emery
- Maghnes Akilouche
- Bradley Barcola
- Rayan Cherki
- Ousmane Dembele
- Desire Doue
- Jean-Phillipe Mateta
- Kylian Mbappe
- Michael Olise
- Marcus Thuram
Eduardo Camavinga
The Real Madrid man was once considered one of the core midfielders for his club and country but finds himself out in the cold for the World Cup. Injuries prevented him from playing a big part in the qualification stage. The manager may have made a consistency choice, opting for the veteran Kante and the regulars Zaire-Emery and Tchouameni to make up his midfield base.
Senny Mayulu
Despite breaking into the picture for Paris Saint-Germain, Senny Mayulu couldn’t earn his way into Didier Deschamps’ plans for the tournament. Mayulu’s versatility saw him fill in where needed for the Parisiens over the past year.
This wasn’t enough to get him into the French squad to make his international debut. He has been capped by the country at youth level but is yet to get a senior cap. If he keeps playing for PSG then we could see him factor in for the lead-up to the Euros for his country.
Estaban Lepaul
One of the more surprising exclusions, Estaban Lepaul had a huge breakout season for Stade Rennais. The striker finished the Ligue campaign as the top scorer with 21 goals and 5 assists to his name in 34 appearances. Despite that, he hasn’t been called up by France at all, not even featuring in the recent batch of friendlies. His goalscoring form would have to continue in the next campaign for him to break in, but 21 in 34 not being enough to impress Deschamps is harsh for anyone.
Featired Image Credit
IMAGO / PRESSE SPORTS
