The ridiculously good France second XI that would probably win the World Cup | OneFootball

France are entering the World Cup as one of the big favourites but their squad is so stacked, a second XI would have a good chance too.

France’s final warm-up match saw them dispatch Northern Ireland 3-1 thanks to a Michael Olise hat-trick and as they cross the Atlantic, no one will be looking forward to a game against Les Bleus.

Didier Deschamps looked as if he started his first-choice XI against Michael O’Neill’s team, but if those 11 players were barred, how good would the team be? Here’s the France backup XI that could challenge for the World Cup on its own.

GK: Robin Risser

With Maignan in goal, the reserve spot goes to Lens’ Robin Risser.

The 21-year-old kept 11 clean sheets for the team that finished second in Ligue 1 and only Lille’s Berke Ozer kept more.

RB: Malo Gusto

As with all Chelsea players, it will be interesting to see how they perform away from the chaos of the Stamford Bridge club.

Gusto will most likely be on the bench for France with Jules Kounde hard to drop but an assist in his second-half appearance against Northern Ireland will have made his case.

CB: Ibrahima Konate

The departing Liverpool centre-back could get a starting spot for Deschamps’ team but was confined to the bench in favour of Upamecano and Saliba.

Konate may well have been a certain pick this time 12 months ago but a shaky final season at Anfield has likely got him playing second fiddle.

It hasn’t deterred Real Madrid though; they’ve only gone and done it again.

CB: Maxence Lacroix

The French defender’s stock is already rising in the world of football after an impressive year with Crystal Palace.

He played 35 of the Eagles’ Premier League matches, earning him a spot in Deschamps’ squad, and while he may most likely play a backup role in this tournament, his age suggests he could be a starter come the next tournament.

LB: Lucas Hernandez

Lucas’ brother Theo started the game but Lucas could definitely do a job if called upon.

That left back spot would be a toss-up between Hernandez or Lucas Digne who has done well at Aston Villa but is now 32.

The other Hernandez, meanwhile, made 25 appearances for PSG in their double-winning season.

CM: Manu Kone

The defensively minded midfielder plays his football at Roma and was one of the club’s best performers as they finished third.

For France, he has played 14 matches and this will be his first World Cup.

CM: Warren Zaire-Emery

Zaire-Emery looks almost certain to be a key figure for France and PSG for years to come with the 20-year-old operating at a very high level.

He’s played 183 times for his club but has just 11 national team appearances so far, a number that will likely rise this tournament. Should either of Rabiot or Tchouameni fail to impress, Zaire-Emery will be waiting to take their spot.

RW: Maghnes Akliouche

24-year-old Akliouche looks like a talent destined to leave Monaco before too long.

He scored six goals and assisted the same amount for the principality club this season and is still a relatively new member to the French squad having made just nine appearances so far.

He has two years left on his Monaco deal and an impressive World Cup showing may convince some to put in a bid.

CAM: Rayan Cherki

Cherki has got bags of talent and for most other countries, would be a guaranteed starter but he’s got Ousmane Dembele ahead of him.

Deschamps will know Cherki’s quality though and having a player that can change games through invention and technical ability could go a long way in the latter rounds of the tournament.

LW: Bradley Barcola

Bradley Barcola is part of an absolutely stacked PSG front line and scored 11 goals for the French champions.

He has made 20 appearances for the national team, scoring three in that time, and can play across the front line if needed, making him a handy option for Deschamps.

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ST: Marcus Thuram

Marcus Thuram is not going to displace Kylian Mbappe but the Inter striker is more than a capable deputy.

He scored 13 goals in 29 Serie A matches for Inter this season but has had difficulty finding the net for France, scoring just three goals in his 34 senior appearances.