France Have a Wealth of Attacking Talent

When Didier Deschamps finalises his 26-man list for the flight to North America, the France head coach will carry the most enviable dilemma in global football: how to squeeze a constellation of attacking stars into one starting XI. Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé and Kylian Mbappé have all spent the past 12 months underlining why Les Bleus are considered the most lavishly stocked side ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Olise, 24, arrives fresh from a Ballon d’Or-calibre season at Bayern Munich. The London-born winger has tormented Bundesliga full-backs, cutting in off the right to curl sumptuous left-footed finishes into the far corner. Deschamps, recognising the player’s confidence, has already trialled Olise as a roaming No. 10 in recent friendlies, allowing him to interchange with a supporting cast that includes Antoine Griezmann and Marcus Thuram. Far from being overawed, Olise has embraced the freedom, suggesting he is ready to inherit the creative baton.

Dembélé’s narrative is one of redemption. The PSG attacker, holder of the 2025 Ballon d’Or, endured a stop-start 2025–26 campaign, yet his two-footed explosiveness remains unmatched. Luis Enrique has coaxed maturity from the 28-year-old, who is desperate to erase memories of the 2022 final when an early foul on Ángel Di María preceded his substitution. With 11 previous World Cup appearances under his belt, Dembélé is targeting goal No. 1 on the biggest stage and believes the U.S. will provide the canvas for his breakthrough.

Then there is Mbappé. Despite knee irritation that curtailed his European Golden Shoe defence, the 27-year-old captain has already served notice of his enduring class, clipping a delicate finish over Ederson in March’s friendly win over Brazil. A final hat-trick in 2022 leaves him four goals shy of Miroslav Klose’s all-time record; a fit Mbappé in knockout football remains the sport’s most reliable guarantee of fireworks.

Deschamps’ challenge is not scarcity but abundance. France can field a front four without compromising midfield steel, a luxury no rival can replicate. Opponents must pick their poison: Olise’s artistry, Dembélé’s unpredictability or Mbappé’s cold-blooded pace. In a tournament where moments define dynasties, France’s embarrassment of attacking riches may prove the decisive edge.