France
Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé are set to spearhead France’s attack after Didier Deschamps revealed a 26-player selection for the upcoming World Cup. Mbappé, who has 56 international goals and sits just behind Olivier Giroud’s 57, is expected to wear the captain’s armband despite a recent thigh issue. Dembélé arrives after a 35-goal season and a Champions League triumph with Paris St. Germain, also having won the Ballon d’Or, while Michael Olise and Désiré Doué add further depth in attack. Rayan Cherki and William Saliba are among several Premier League-linked names, with Lucas Hernández and N’Golo Kanté the only remaining members from the 2018 winning squad; Eduardo Camavinga and Randal Kolo Muani were left out, Lucas Chevalier also missed, while Robin Risser joins as an uncapped goalkeeper alongside Brice Samba and Mike Maignan.
Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Robin Risser (Lens), Brice Samba (Rennes).
Defenders: Lucas Digne (Aston Villa), Malo Gusto (Chelsea), Lucas Hernandez (Paris St-Germain), Theo Hernandez (Al Hilal), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), William Saliba (Arsenal), and Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich).
Midfielders: N’Golo Kante (Fenerbache), Manu Kone (Roma), Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid), Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris St-Germain).
Forwards: Maghnes Akliouche (Monaco), Bradley Barcola (Paris St-Germain), Rayan Cherki (Man City), Ousmane Dembele (Paris St-Germain), Desire Doue (Paris St-Germain), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid), Jean-Phillipe Mateta (Crystal Palace), and Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan).
Senegal
Sadio Mané has been included in Senegal’s 26-man group for the tournament, having previously been ruled out of the 2022 edition through injury. The Al-Nassr forward, now 34, is joined in attack by Nicolas Jackson, Iliman Ndiaye, and Ismaïla Sarr, while the squad also includes experienced figures such as Idrissa Gueye and Kalidou Koulibaly.
Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy (Al-Ahli), Yehvann Diouf (Nice), Mory Diaw (Le Havre).
Defenders: Krepin Diatta (Monaco), Antoine Mendy (Nice), Abdoulaye Seck (Maccabi Haifa), Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal), Moussa Niakhate (Lyon), Mamadou Sarr (Chelsea), El-Hadji Malick Diouf (West Ham United), Ismail Jakobs (Galatasaray).
Midfielders: Idrissa Gueye (Everton), Habib Diarra (Sunderland), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham), Pape Gueye (Villarreal), Lamine Camara (Monaco), Pathé Ciss (Rayo Vallecano), and Bara Ndiaye (Bayern Munich).
Forwards: Sadio Mané (Al-Nassr), Bamba Dieng (Lorient), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton), Nicolas Jackson (Bayern Munich), Assane Diao (Como), Ibrahim Mbaye (Paris St-Germain), Cherif Ndiaye (Samsunspor), Ismaila Sarr (Crystal Palace).
Iraq
Iraq’s squad features Ipswich forward Ali Al-Hamadi and former Manchester United academy player Zidane Iqbal as the nation prepares for its first World Cup appearance in four decades after winning a play-off tie. Al-Hamadi and Aymen Hussein scored in that decisive match, while Iqbal was an unused substitute. Coach Graham Arnold has also included naturalised or recently switched players such as Ahmed Qasem, and Dario Naamo was not selected. Jalal Hassan leads the group as captain and most experienced player.
Goalkeepers: Fahad Talib (Al-Talaba), Jalal Hassan (Al-Zawraa), Ahmed Basil (Al-Shorta).
Defenders: Hussein Ali (Pogon Szczecin), Manaf Younis, Ahmed Yahya, Mustafa Saadoon (Al-Shorta), Zaid Tahseen (Pakhtakor), Rebin Sulaka (Port), Akam Hashim (Al-Zawraa), Merchas Doski (Viktoria Plzen), Zaid Ismail (Al-Talaba), Frans Putros (Persib).
Midfielders: Amir Al-Ammari (Cracovia), Kevin Yakob (Aarhus GF), Zidane Iqbal (Utrecht), Aimar Sher (Sarpsborg), Ibrahim Bayesh (Al-Dhafra), Ahmed Qasem (Nashville SC), Youssef Amyn (AEK Larnaca), Marko Farji (Venezia).
Forwards: Ali Jassim (Al-Najma), Ali Al-Hamadi (Ipswich), Ali Yousef (Al-Talaba), Aymen Hussein (Al-Karma), Mohanad Ali (Dibba).
Norway
Norway will be led by captain Martin Ødegaard, fresh from a Premier League title win with Arsenal, alongside prolific striker Erling Haaland of Manchester City. The squad also includes Oscar Bobb and Jørgen Strand Larsen, with Sander Tangvik named as the only uncapped player following a late injury change. The selection was unusually revealed via a video message from the Norwegian King.
Goalkeepers: Orjan Haskjold Nyland (Sevilla), Egil Selvik (Watford), and Sander Tangvik (Hamburger SV).
Defenders: Julian Ryerson (Borussia Dortmund), Marcus Holmgren Pedersen (Torino), David Moller Wolfe (Wolverhampton), Fredrik Bjorkan (Bodo/Glimt), Kristoffer Ajer (Brentford), Torbjorn Heggem (Bologna), Leo Skiri Ostigard (Genoa), Sondre Langas (Derby County), and Henrik Falchener (Viking).
Midfielders: Martin Odegaard (Arsenal), Sander Berge (Fulham), Fredrik Aursnes (Benfica), Patrick Berg (Bodo/Glimt), Kristian Thorstvedt (Sassuolo), Morten Thorsby (Cremonese), and Thelo Aasgaard (Rangers).
Forwards: Erling Haaland (Manchester City), Alexander Sørloth (Atletico Madrid), Jorgen Strand Larsen (Crystal Palace), Antonio Nusa (RB Leipzig), Oscar Bobb (Fulham), Andreas Schjelderup (Benfica), and Jens Petter Hauge (Bodo/Glimt).
Estadio Azteca
