As the 2026 World Cup looms large on the horizon, the football world is once again asking the same question that has haunted rivals for years: how on earth do you stop France? The answer, more often than not, is that you do not — or at least not easily. Rewind to November 2022, when Didier Deschamps unveiled a 25-man squad for Qatar, and the sheer absurdity of Les Bleus' depth was laid bare for all to see. Even with N'Golo Kante and Paul Pogba sidelined, the France boss had an embarrassment of riches that would make most international managers green with envy. It was football's worst-kept secret, and the 2022 tournament only underlined the point: France reached the final and came within a penalty shootout of retaining the trophy.

A Squad Stacked to the Rafters

The 2022 list was not just strong; it was ridiculous. Deschamps could call on household names, rising stars and proven winners in almost every position. The midfield looked lighter than usual without Pogba and Kante, yet it still featured Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, Adrien Rabiot, Youssouf Fofana, Matteo Guendouzi and Jordan Veretout. That is the kind of depth that makes other national coaches quiver in their boots.

The attack, in particular, looked like something straight out of FIFA career mode. France had two Ballon d'Or contenders in Benzema and Mbappe, plus a head-spinning queue of Giroud, Griezmann, Nkunku, Coman and Dembele ready to step in. Giroud's goalscoring record and Griezmann's link play gave Deschamps different flavours, while Nkunku's breakout form added another layer. Marry that to a glut of defensive talent and three accomplished goalkeepers, and the conclusion was unavoidable: France's options were an absolute joke.

Group D, the Winners' Curse and the 2022 Reality Check

On paper, France should have had a fairly straightforward passage to the knockout rounds in Group D alongside Australia, Denmark and Tunisia. It was interesting to note that Denmark and Australia had also been in France's group in Russia in 2018, when Les Bleus went all the way. Denmark was the only nation not to lose to Deschamps' men that summer, which offered a note of caution.

There was also the small matter of the winners' curse. Since the turn of the century, every World Cup holder except Brazil in 2006 had suffered a grim tournament when trying to defend the crown. France themselves set the curse in motion in 2002, crashing out of the group stages with zero wins and zero goals scored. Italy, Spain and Germany later suffered similar fates. Only Italy in 1938 and Brazil in 1962 have ever won back-to-back World Cups, and France were aiming to join that exclusive club.

In the end, France dodged the curse in 2022, even if they could not quite dodge Argentina. That run to the final was the proof in the pudding: squad depth is not a luxury at a World Cup; it is a necessity. Euro 2020 could be written off as an anomalous blip, but Qatar showed what France could do when the pieces clicked.

Why the 2022 Blueprint Still Matters in 2026

As of 2026, the World Cup has expanded to 48 teams, which means more matches, more travel and more chances for injuries and fatigue to bite. In that environment, depth is no longer just a nice-to-have. It is the whole ball game. France's 2022 squad remains a case study in how to build a tournament roster that can absorb absences and still look formidable.

Brazil might have been the favourites in 2022, and they could claim comparable squad depth, but France's talent pool was every bit as deep. With Deschamps still at the helm as of 2026, the lessons from that 25-man group are clear: stock every position, trust the pipeline and do not panic when a star player goes down. On paper, France should probably go down as favourites once again. Whether they lift the trophy is another matter entirely. Watch this space.