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If you have followed everything correctly, the France team does not yet know its qualifying group for the 2026 World Cup, a year and a half before the competition organized in Canada, the United States and Mexico. The draw was nevertheless made. Didier Deschamps' Blues challenge Croatia in the quarter-finals of the Nations League in March (20th in Split, 23rd in Saint-Denis) and qualification for the Final Four next June will bring in the vices -2022 world champions in group D with Ukraine, Iceland and Azerbaijan, the most difficult group of the two situations.
Big concern for Kylian Mbappé and his teammates: they will face the other big piece of the group, namely Ukraine, on September 5, probably in Germany (where the Ukrainians often play since the war led by Russia) . Ukraine is 25th in the Fifa Ranking after a disappointing Euro 2024, but is led by a “golden generation” who were supposed to shine in Germany after quality qualifiers. Only the winner of the group will qualify for the “World Cup 26”, the second being sent to the play-off (for a Final Four and not a double confrontation).
Danger of entry for the Blues of Deschamps
Among these promising Blue and Yellow, Oleksandr Zinchenko is now well accompanied by goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin, the rock of Bournemouth Illya Zabarnyi, the twirling Viktor Tsyhankov and the scorer Artem Dovbyk. The AS Roma center forward is in great shape. He once again shook the net during the Giallorossi's victory against Genoa (3-1) on Friday evening, for his fifth goal in his last six matches. He was also a decisive passer on two occasions, notably in the draw obtained in Milan on December 29 (1-1). The striker, recruited for 30 million euros from Girona, Pichichi of Liga last year, has 11 goals in all competitions.
The Ukraine of this Dovbyk to follow with attention is clearly the strongest potential opponent for the France team. In the event of elimination against the Croatians, the Blues will start in Group L in June, against Gibraltar and the Czech Republic, 42nd in the world and led by a less formidable but particularly prolific Patrik Schick with Leverkusen this season (16th goal scored on Saturday against Mönchengladbach).The Faroe Islands and Montenegro of veteran Stevan Jovetic would be the two other opponents on the way to the World Cup in North America.
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Manu Tournoux is a passionate and knowledgeable football enthusiast with a special focus on French football. Born and raised in France, Manu discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team.
 
 As an author for the website, Manu's expertise includes not only in-depth analysis of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches but also insightful profiles of up-and-coming talents, detailed transfer news, and engaging coverage of the French national team. His captivating writing style and undeniable passion for the game have earned him a loyal following among our readers.
 
 When he's not crafting engaging articles for French Football Weekly, Manu enjoys attending live matches whenever he can, exploring football culture in various French cities, and engaging in spirited debates with fellow fans. Feel free to follow Manu on Twitter and interact with him as he shares his expert opinions, insights, and love for French football.
