FC Bayern duo included in France's World Cup squad | OneFootball

France released their World Cup squad on Thursday as Dayot Upamecano and Michael Olise made the cut as expected. Les Bleus are one of the favorites for this summer’s tournament, and they could become the third nation to reach three successive finals after Germany (1974-1982) and Brazil (1994-2002).

Bayern players were part of France’s squad in their previous two triumphs. Bixente Lizarazu was the starting left-back in the 1998 victory on home soil. Corentin Tolisso contributed to the 2018 triumph in Russia, while Benjamin Pavard joined the Bavarians a year after his iconic strike against Argentina.

This will be the first major international tournament for Olise, who won silver in the Paris Olympics. The 24-year-old is expected to be one of the stars of the tournament after his sensational season with the Rekordmeister.

Upamecano played five games in the Qatar World Cup, including the 120 minutes in the classic final against Argentina. The 27-year-old center-back will compete with William Saliba and his former RB Leipzig teammate Ibrahima Konate for a starting berth in this summer’s competition.

Including Pavard and Konate, there are also several players with Bundesliga experience in the squad. Lucas Hernandez (Bayern) and Maxence Lacroix (Wolfsburg) are part of the defensive department as Olise’s former teammate at Crystal Palace gets a surprise call after solid performances during his first call-up to the team.

His club teammate Jean-Philippe Mateta, who had a memorable spell at Mainz 05, is also preferred ahead of Randal Kolo Muani. The former Eintracht Frankfurt striker will not get a chance at redemption for his infamous miss in that defeat to Argentina.

France’s attack will also have the current Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé and the domestic double winner with Inter Markus Thuram, who have played in Bundesliga for the two Borussias.

A teammate of Thuram at Borussia Mönchengladbach, Manu Koné, will be a squad option for the central midfield. France will start their campaign against Senegal in the repeat of the 2002 World Cup curtain-raiser before facing Iraq and Erling Haaland’s Norway in the group stage.

France's 26-man World Cup squad

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

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

Midfielders: N'Golo Kanté (Fenerbahçe), Manu Koné (AS Roma), Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan), Aurélien Tchouameni (Real Madrid), Warren Zaïre-Emery (PSG), Maghnes Akliouche (Monaco), Bradley Barcola (PSG), Rayan Cherki (Manchester City), Désiré Doué (PSG), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)

Forwards: Ousmane Dembélé (PSG), Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace), Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan)