France predicted XI v Ukraine: Kylian Mbappé to lead the line, Ousmane Dembélé and Hugo Ekitike benched | OneFootball

France kick off their Group D campaign to qualify for the 2026 World Cup tonight against Ukraine at Wroclaw’s Tarczynski Arena. With Didier Deschamps starting his final season as Les Bleus manager, France have no margin for error as they have been drawn in a 4-team group with Azerbaijan and Iceland. On Tuesday, the 2022 World Cup finalists will host Iceland at Paris’ Parc des Princes.

Deschamps is set to stick with the same 4-2-3-1 attacking formation that France used to clinch third place in the 2025 Nations League finals. AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan will stand between the sticks as he remains France’s undisputed No. 1, despite Lucas Chevalier’s move to PSG. In the absence of Arsenal’s William Saliba, Deschamps is set to start Ibrahima Konaté and Dayot Upamecano at the back – a partnership years in the making, given Konaté and Upamecano were teammates at Leipzig. Barcelona’s Jules Koundé and Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne will feature as full-backs.

Manu Koné and Aurélien Tchouaméni are set to be given the midfield keys. Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise is set to play as a No. 10. The wings will be entrusted to PSG’s Bradley Barcola and Désiré Doué with Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé being handed the skipper’s armband and the centre-forward spot.

France likely line-up v Ukraine

Mike Maignan; Jules Koundé, Ibrahima Konaté, Dayot Upamecano, Lucas Digne; Aurélien Tchouaméni, Manu Koné; Désiré Doué, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola; Kylian Mbappé. (L’Éq)

GFFN | Bastien Cheval