France is facing pressure to retain their title at the 2022 FIFA World Cup after Didier Deschamps led Les Bleus to the title in Russia four years ago.
Despite his status as a polarizing figure, Deschamps won two of the biggest titles in international football as both a player and coach with the French team.
However, their push to exit Euro 2020 at the last-16 stage has brought renewed attention to the former midfielder, as he looks to strike the right balance in Qatar, despite a growing string of injuries.
France boasts one of the most talented squads in the competition, but Deschamps is well aware of the importance of vital man-management with his superstars, as well as managing a massive injury crisis that has weakened his squad.
How many times has France won the World Cup?
France’s glory in Russia in 2018 saw them crowned world champions for the second time, 20 years after winning their prestigious first World Cup in Paris in 1998.
Deschamps captained a Zinedine Zidane-inspired Les Bleus side on home soil in ’98, and their victory was hailed for its impact on improving multiculturalism and diversity within the host nation.
World Cup History France
France have regularly found themselves among the strongest sides at World Cups but prior to 1998, they were unable to harness their undoubted talent to success.
Michel Platini’s France reached consecutive semi-finals in 1982 and 1986 but could not break the pressure of Italy, Argentina and West Germany in the final.
Glory in Paris in 1998 crowned them the first host champions since Argentina in 1978, but inconsistency saw them exit the group stage in 2002 and 2010, with a final defeat to Italy in 2006.
| World Cup | Goals Scored |
| 1930 | 4 |
| 1934 | 2 |
| 1938 | 4 |
| 1950 | – |
| 1954 | 3 |
| 1958 | 23 |
| 1962 | – |
| 1966 | 2 |
| 1970 | – |
| 1974 | – |
| 1978 | 5 |
| 1982 | 16 |
| 1986 | 12 |
| 1990 | – |
| 1994 | – |
| 1998 | 15 |
| 2002 | 0 |
| 2006 | 9 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2014 | 10 |
| 2018 | 14 |
Did Kylian Mbappe win the World Cup?
Paris Saint-Germain hotshot Mbappe made his tournament bow in Russia, as Deschamps deployed him alongside Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud.
His role in driving France to Russia started with the winning goal in a 1–0 group stage victory over Peru, before scoring twice in a 4–3 last-16 win against Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
However, his crowning moment came in a glorious 4-2 final against Croatia, where his late strike made him only the second teenager since Pele in 1958 to score in a World Cup final.
2018 World Cup record of Kylian Mbappe
| World Cup Stage | Goals |
| Group Stage | 0 |
| Group Stage | 1 |
| Group Stage | 0 |
| Round of 16 | 2 |
| Quarterfinals | 0 |
| Semifinals | 0 |
| Final | 1 |
Will France win the 2022 FIFA World Cup?
As the defending champions, France is naturally placed among the main challenges to win again in Qatar but the overall trend points to a dip in 2018 after last year’s Euro 2020 flop.
Deschamps created a system that got the best out of Mbappe, Griezmann, and Paul Pogba in Russia, with the midfield partnership of N’Golo Kante and Blaise Matuidi also playing a key role.
Raphael Varane and Samuel Umtiti are no longer first-choice at the back, and Karim Benzema’s return from international exile has created more problems than solutions for Deschamps. They will have to find a way past England in the latter stages.