France v Senegal: Predicted XI, Scoreline & The Shirt

The last time these two met at a World Cup, France went home.

Senegal. Group H. 2002. Papa Bouba Diop. A goal, a celebration, a seismic upset. France — reigning world champions, a squad worth more than most countries' GDP — went out in the group stage without scoring a single goal. Packed off. Gone. The players who grew up watching that game are now in Aliou Cissé's squad. They know exactly what it meant.

So when France line up against Senegal on June 11 in a Group I opener that will be the marquee match of the tournament's first week, the history is already in the room. Senegal will not be intimidated. They have been here before.

France will win 2-0 anyway. And here's why.

Our score: France 2-0 Senegal. Mbappé scores. Senegal stay disciplined, stay organised, but run out of the firepower to test a back four that is genuinely better than anything France have fielded in years.

The Favourites Tag Is Earned

The joint +600 odds alongside Argentina are not marketing. They reflect a squad that is deep, experienced, hungry, and finally organised around a system that fits the players.

Deschamps has been in charge for over a decade. He has had his critics — the 2020 Euros, the near misses, the rotating captaincy drama. But two World Cup finals and a winner's medal in 2018 is not nothing. This is his final tournament as France manager. He intends to leave with the trophy.

The question Deschamps spent four years answering: how do you build a team around Mbappé without making it only about Mbappé? The answer, heading into this tournament, is better than it has ever been.

France's Likely XI

Mbappé leads the line. Technically a wide forward, functionally the focal point of everything France do going forward. He will be captain. He will wear the armband the way he wears everything — like it was already supposed to be his.

Around him, expect Ousmane Dembélé and Bradley Barcola providing the width and direct running that pulls Senegal's full-backs out of positio