Lucas Digne was named in France's 26-man squad for this summer's World Cup on Wednesday, with Didier Deschamps again leaning on balance as he set out the group that will open its campaign against Senegal in New Jersey on 16 June.
Digne is listed among France's defenders in a squad that also includes Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele as the leaders of the attack. Deschamps said: “It's a squad. Not necessarily the 26 best players. It's about balance and how the team comes together,” a reminder that the selection was shaped as much by structure as by reputation.
France will then face Iraq on 22 June and Norway on 26 June in Group I. The 26-man squad marks the latest step in preparations for the tournament, with Deschamps seeking to build around a core that has already carried France deep into major finals and a group that now has to settle quickly before the first match in New Jersey.
For Digne, the call-up puts him back in the middle of France's tournament plans at a time when Deschamps has limited room for sentiment. The manager has led France to back-to-back World Cup finals, and this selection reflects both continuity and change: full-back Lucas Hernandez and midfielder N'Golo Kante are the only survivors from France's 2018 World Cup-winning group besides Mbappe and Dembele.
The omissions were as striking as the inclusions. Eduardo Camavinga, Randal Kolo Muani and Lucas Chevalier were among the notable players left out, a sign that selection for a 26-man roster still leaves room for hard choices even when the pool is deep. Deschamps said he understood the disappointment around Camavinga, adding: “I can imagine how disappointed [Camavinga] must be. He's coming off a tough season where he didn't play as much and suffered injuries. [But] I've got decisions to make and a squad to put together.”
That tension is part of the job now. France go into the World Cup with seven Premier League-based players, a familiar spread of experience and league-tested depth, but the shape of the squad suggests Deschamps is thinking first about how the pieces fit together over three group games, not about rewarding every big name. Digne is in. Others who have been in the picture before are not, and the decision leaves France with a clear message before kickoff: the path to another deep run will be decided by balance as much as talent.
