Les Bleus fans have been getting excited about their prospects this summer, and with good reason, having reached the final of the last two tournaments and lifting the trophy in 2018.

Led by former Chelsea midfielder Didier Deschamps, who has been at his country’s helm for 14 years and is heading to his fourth World Cup in that role, they have an impressive blend of youth and experience, captained by the top scorer from both this season’s UEFA Champions League and the 2022 World Cup: Kylian Mbappe.

Add in a wealth of tournament know-how in the dugout and on the pitch, and several members of Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League-winning team – including reigning The Best FIFA Men’s Player Ousmane Dembele – and France may take some stopping.

Which Chelsea players do France have?

Gusto got the call from Deschamps to head to his first major international tournament, although he was part of the side that finished third in last year’s UEFA National League finals. He will wear the No.2 shirt for France at the 2026 World Cup.

Six of his nine senior caps for his country came during the qualifying campaign for this tournament, when he shared right-back duties with Barcelona’s Kounde.

Both are vying for that spot in the starting line-up when Les Bleus kick off their campaign against Senegal, and Gusto made a strong case for his inclusion with two assists in France’s last qualifier, a 3-1 win over Azerbaijan.

Who else is in France’s squad?

Gusto joins Chelsea legend N’Golo Kante and former Blues Academy player Michael Olise in a France squad which includes seven Premier League players and five from back-to-back Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain.

The squad is largely the same as the one that beat Brazil and Colombia in friendlies in March, with the addition of Bradley Barcola, Manu Kone and Jules Kounde, all of whom return after late-season injuries.

France’s group of 26 includes four players – Dembele, Lucas Hernandez, Kante and Mbappe – who lifted the trophy in Russia in 2018. Mbappe goes to this tournament four goals behind Miroslav Klose’s World Cup record of 16.

Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Robin Risser (Lens), Brice Samba (Rennes)

Defenders: Lucas Digne (Aston Villa), Malo Gusto (Chelsea), Lucas Hernandez (Paris Saint-Germain), Theo Hernandez (Al-Hilal), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)

Midfielders: Maghnes Akliouche (Monaco), Rayan Cherki (Manchester City), N’Golo Kante (Fenerbahce), Manu Kone (Roma), Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid), Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain)

Forwards: Bradley Barcola (Paris Saint-Germain), Ousmane Dembele (Paris Saint-Germain), Desire Doue (Paris Saint-Germain), Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace), Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan)

What teams are in France’s group?

France are in Group I and face an opening fixture that will bring up unhappy memories. Senegal were also their first opponents in 2002, when a 1-0 defeat paved the way for them being the first defending champions to exit in the first round for nearly half a century.

They also take on a Norway side featuring European qualifying’s top scorer, Erling Haaland, and the Iraq team making their first appearance at a World Cup for 40 years.

When are France’s fixtures?

France vs Senegal, New Jersey, Tuesday 16 June, 8pm

France vs Iraq, Philadelphia, Monday 22 June, 10pm

Norway vs France, Boston, Friday 26 June, 8pm

All times UK

How did France qualify?

France impressed in qualifying, remaining unbeaten throughout their campaign and booking their place at the World Cup with a game to spare, with an emphatic 4-0 home win over Ukraine in Paris in November.

They won five of their six matches in total, a 2-2 draw away in Iceland representing the only points dropped. Les Bleus showed their strength at both ends of the pitch, with their 16 goals scored and four conceded both the best record in their group, and nine different players getting their name on the score sheet.

What is France’s World Cup history?

France are heading to their 17th World Cup as the only European country to have competed at every edition, going all the way back to the inaugural competition in 1930, when they scored the first-ever World Cup goal.

They have previously won the competition twice. The first came in 1998 with Deschamps captaining a side featuring fellow former Blues Marcel Desailly and Frank Lebouef, producing a shock 3-0 thrashing of Brazil in the final. The second was with Deschamps as manager and current captain Mbappe on target in a 4-2 final win over Croatia.

If they can go all the way to New Jersey this year, Les Bleus will become only the second European nation to reach three consecutive World Cup finals – after West Germany – having lost the 2022 final to Argentina in Qatar.

For Deschamps, it would be a record, as no manager has ever reached three finals in a row. It would be a fitting send-off, as he prepares to step down as France head coach at the end of this tournament.

He will hope to do so having banished the memories of four years ago, when Mbappe’s final hat-trick proved to be in vain as a 3-3 draw with Argentina was concluded with an agonising 4-2 penalty shootout loss.