France predicted lineup vs England - World Cup quarter-final

Didier Deschamps faced England five times as a player, winning just once
Didier Deschamps faced England five times as a player, winning just once / BSR Agency/GettyImages
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France's defence of the World Cup continues with an enticing quarter-final tie against England on Saturday evening.

Didier Deschamps ended his glittering international career as a player - which saw him captain France to continental and global glory - against England. 57 minutes into that friendly in September 2000, Deschamps and his fellow retiree Laurent Blanc, were applauded off the Stade de France pitch.

Here's the XI Deschamps may deploy to ensure his spell as the national team manager doesn't also end against England.



France predicted lineup vs England (4-3-3)

Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe is the only player in the French squad with more than nine shots at this World Cup. He has rattled of 21. / Soccrates Images/GettyImages

GK: Hugo Lloris - France's all-time record cap holder has played more than 100 more Premier League games than Ligue 1 matches.

RB: Jules Kounde - The Barcelona defender has usurped World Cup winner Benjamin Pavard in the fullback pecking order despite entering the tournament as his understudy.

CB: Raphael Varane - The only red card of Varane's senior international career came against England in a 2017 friendly France still won.

CB: Dayot Upamecano - A proliferation of injuries to the French backline has opened up a starting berth for the defender who suffered from a stutter as a child.

LB: Theo Hernandez - As a teenager, Hernandez skipped training for the French under-21s and let it be known that his allegiances at senior level lay with Spain. Two years later he changed his mind but had to wait another two years before Deschamps gave him his debut.

CM: Antoine Griezmann - Despite being shifted into a deeper role than he normally plays, Griezmann still leads the World Cup for chances created (14).

CM: Aurelien Tchouameni - No French player has had more touches, made more interceptions or completed more passes than the influential Tchouameni at this World Cup.

CM: Adrien Rabiot - The Juventus midfielder swerved a move to Manchester United in the summer, admitting: "I was lucky to stay, perhaps it was the best decision."

RW: Ousmane Dembele - Unfortunately for Dembele, England's squad doesn't have any Leeds United players in it. A request for Patrick Bamford's shirt revealed that the Barcelona winger is "a massive fan of Leeds and he watches every game". He will at least have a soft spot for Kalvin Phillips.

ST: Olivier Giroud - France's all-time top goalscorer for the men's national team has netted four times in six appearances against England's Jordan Pickford, including two in five minutes when Arsenal faced Sunderland back in 2016.

LW: Kylian Mbappe - France’s last seven World Cup goals have either been scored or created by Mbappe.


Harry Symeou hosts Scott Saunders, Sean Walsh, Ali Rampling and Brian Goldfarb to look back on the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil - join us!

If you can’t see the podcast embed, click here to download or listen to the episode in full!