France vs Senegal Lineups: Confirmed Team News and Predicted XIs for World Cup Opener

France and Senegal both face selection dilemmas ahead of their Group I opener at the World Cup today. Both sides will be hoping to get off to a strong start in New Jersey before rivals Norway and Iraq go head to head in Boston later in the day.

France Team News

Didier Deschamps has led France to back-to-back World Cup finals but was handed a considerable fitness headache when Arsenal star William Saliba arrived in camp with a back injury, which some suggest may require surgery later this summer. However, Saliba is now back in training and should be fit for this challenging opening fixture against the stripped Africa Cup of Nations champions Senegal. He will likely partner Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano in the centre of defence, though Real Madrid star-to-be Ibrahima Konate will be waiting in the wings to come in should his injury flare back up.

Attacking Options

There are plenty more decisions to be made. Adrien Rabiot and Aurelien Tchouameni are perennial starters in holding midfield, but Deschamps must pick four starters out of his embarrassment of attacking riches. Kylian Mbappe will, of course, lead the line, but the three men behind him are up for debate. Michael Olise has been brilliant in warm-ups, scoring a hat-trick against Northern Ireland, and should keep his place off the right here. Ousmane Dembele has operated as a No10 in warm-ups and may well continue to do so, with PSG star Desire Doue set to complete the offensive complement. That squad does, however, leave considerable firepower in Rayan Cherki, Bradley Barcola and Marcus Thuram on the bench.

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Senegal Team News

For Senegal, the big decision facing gaffer Pape Thiaw is which system to use. The side has experimented with a back three and a back four in recent friendlies, but facing the mighty attack of France, he will likely opt for the more solid option. To revert to a back four would see the likes of El Hadji Malick Diouf and Krepin Diatta take up full-back roles, with Moussa Niakhate and the veteran captain Kalidou Koulibaly in the middle. Former Chelsea shot-stopper Edouard Mendy is nailed on.

Midfield and Attack

There are very few questions to be asked in midfield, which features plenty of top-flight talent. Idrissa Gana Gueye will sit centrally in a holding role, with Villarreal’s Pape Gueye and Habib Diarra of Sunderland either side of him. Pape Matar Sarr of Tottenham is also an option, but should remain on the bench after a middling season at club level. Up top, a front three of Sadio Mane, Nicolas Jackson and Illiman Ndiaye must put in tidy performances, with plenty of attacking talent on the bench waiting to usurp them. Among their number are the likes of PSG wonderkid Ibrahim Mbaye and Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr.