France made a stuttering start to their 2022/23 Uefa Nations League campaign in their opening four outings in June (D2, L2). However, those games, and the 17-day training camp alongside it, will have left Didier Deschamps with a much clearer idea about who he will name in his 26-man squad for Qatar 2022. Here, we take a close look at five members of the France team who look set to star when the action gets underway.
HUGO LLORIS
Position: Goalkeeper Age: 35
While Mike Maignan may well be starting to stake a serious claim for the France No 1 jersey, Hugo Lloris is still expected to get the nod between the sticks. Speaking in a press conference in early June, Didier Deschamps confirmed that the Tottenham shot-stopper will continue to be Les Bleus’ last line of defence at Qatar 2022 – and possibly beyond.
With 139 caps to his name, the vastly experienced Lloris is poised to surpass Lilian Thuram’s 142-game tally and become France’s most-capped player. The reliable keeper lifted the World Cup crown in 2018 and is the epitome of consistency. Indeed, he featured in all 38 of Spurs’ league fixtures during the 2021/22 campaign, a feat he has achieved in each of the past ten seasons.
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