The wait will be over soon. The inaugural game of Qatar 2022 between the host country and Ecuador is just 11 days away from us, which is why Didier Deschamps has already submitted the 25-man squad that will represent France in the FIFA World Cup.
Les Bleus head into Qatar with high aspirations, aiming to break the curse of the champion and retain the trophy obtained in Russia 2018. Deschamps has been the manager then and many players who accomplished that feat were once again called up.
Of course, it won't be an easy task for the reigning champs, as many teams look prepared to dethrone them. But even with notable absences, France have a star-studded roster. The question everyone makes is, why they only chose 25 players when they could have named 26? Let's break it down here.
Why are France taking 25 players to Qatar 2022 World Cup instead of 26?
Apart from the date, one of the biggest changes in this year's World Cup is the allowable cap for each team, which was extended from 23 to 26 players. However, that doesn't mean that all teams are obliged to use the 26 spots.
The minimum number of players each national team has to select is 23, so France have all the right to submit just 25 names. All World Cup teams have to choose between 23 and 26 players, so there's nothing wrong in Deschamps' decision.
But of course, it is quite surprising that he opted to leave an empty spot. Even with N'Golo Kante and Paul Pogba ruled out, there are many French players out there who could have made the cut. Do you think Deschamps will regret this decision? Using this World Cup Predictor, you can see every potential outcome of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
