​This team isn't based on sole international performance, but the best players from this nation in a balanced squad.
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STARTING XI
REMAINING SQUAD MEMBERS
3 best players not in the squad:
  • Jean-Pierre Papin
  • Eric Cantona
  • Didier Deschamps
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France's best era was winning the 1998 World Cup followed by Euro 2000 - 8 players make this squad from those teams. 5 players also make the squad from the 1984 Euros winning team - the nation's first major trophy.

France are the only World Cup winning team who I don't consider to have ever had a truly 'World-Class' goalkeeper, but Barthez was the best option - he was excellent for them in the '98 and '00 tournaments. Joel Bats and Bernard Lama were close to Darui' 3rd goalkeeper spot on the bench - the margins between several goalkeepers was close.

I could have started Laurent Blanc and moved Thuram to right-back, but Amoros and Bossis made more sense as wing-backs in this formation. Thuram can cover as a back-up right back in the squad, so there was no need for Patrick Battiston. Vieira starts in the holding midfield role, with Tigana playing deep in midfield next to him. With Kante and Giresse covering these roles, Didier Deschamps and Claude Makelele couldn't make the squad, but it was difficult choosing between them and Kante especially. Zidane and Platini have freedom to attack ahead of these two players. Griezmann is back-up to Platini at the tip of the diamond.

Although Kopa was not a typical striker, I would expect the front 2 to occasionally split, and Kopa to drift towards the right if needed. Mbappe is also capable of doing the same on the other side, or Zidane could drift there creating a 4-2-3-1. Generally, the team is very flexible. Benzema, Fontaine and Henry can be extra striker options.

Players By Decade: 1990's (5), 1980's (5), 2010's (4), 2000's (3), 2020's (2), 1950's (2), 1970's (1), 1940's (1)

New Squad Entries since 2022:​
  • 2026: Kylian Mbappe (Reserves > Starting XI))

​French Positional Ranking (World Class Players - 36)

​Top 20 French Players of All-Time
​(& their all-time positional rank)
1     Michel Platini
2     Zinedine Zidane
3     Raymond Kopa
4     Kylian Mbappe
5     Thierry Henry
6     Karim Benzema
7     Just Fontaine
8     Jean Tigana
9     Franck Ribery
10   Lilian Thuram
​11   Marcel Desailly
​12   Antoine Griezmann
13   Jean-Pierre Papin
14   Laurent Blanc
​15   Alain Giresse
16   Patrick Vieira
17   Eric Cantona
18   Marius Tresor
​​19   Manuel Amoros
20   N'Golo Kante
Platinum IV
Platinum IV
Platinum V
Gold I
Gold I
Gold II
Gold II
Gold III
Gold III
Gold III
Gold III
Gold III
Gold III
Gold III
Gold III
Gold III
Gold III
Gold IV
Gold IV
Gold IV
1     Michel Platini   IV   ​​2nd AM
2     Zinedine Zidane   IV   ​​3rd AM
3     Raymond Kopa   V   ​6th AM
4     Kylian Mbappe   I   7th ST
5     Thierry Henry   I   ​8th ST
6     Karim Benzema   II   ​22nd ST
7     Just Fontaine   II   ​27th ST
8     Jean Tigana   III   13th CM
​9     Franck Ribery   III   18th WNG
10   Lilian Thuram   III   ​13th CB
11   Marcel Desailly   III   ​14th CB
12   Antoine Griezmann   III   ​​​​​​​33rd SS
13   Jean-Pierre Papin   III   ​36th ST
​14   Laurent Blanc   III   ​23rd CB
​15   Alain Giresse   III   23rd CM
16   Patrick Vieira   III   25th CM
17   Eric Cantona   III   ​​​​​​​41st SS
18   Marius Tresor   IV   ​39th CB
​19   Manuel Amoros   IV   ​12th RB
20   N'Golo Kante   IV   ​​​42nd CM
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