Road to Qatar: how France qualified for World Cup 2022 - in pictures

A look at how Didier Deschamps' side secured their place at this year's finals

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  HOW FRANCE QUALIFIED FOR WORLD CUP 2022: (Group D) March 24, 2021. France 1 (Griezmann 19') Ukraine 1 (Sydorchuk 57'): The world champions took a deserved lead courtesy of a fine Antoine Griezmann finish, only for the Ukraine to equalise via a big deflection that wrong-footed goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. France attacker Olivier Giroud said: "When you don't score the second goal against a team defending very well with determination ... then it's hard." AFP

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  March 28, 2021. Kazakhstan 0 France 2 (Dembele 19', Malyy og 44'): Barcelona attacker Ousmane Dembele put France on their way to a first victory of the campaign following good work from Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial. A headed own goal completed the victory. Manager Didier Deschamps said: “It’s a good result even if we could have won by more goals ... the only regret here was that we didn’t take our chances in the second half." AFP

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  March 31, 2021. Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 France 1 (Griezmann 60'): Hugo Lloris produced several key saves as France secured a narrow win thanks to Antoine Griezmann's second-half goal. Griezmann said: "It was a difficult game. We had a bit of fatigue and a bit of trouble playing against five at the back. We know people expect things from us in every game." EPA

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  September 1, 2021. France 1 (Griezmann 39') Bosnia 1 (Dzeko 36'): Another Griezmann goal earned 10-man France a point after Inter Milan's Edin Dzeko had put Bosnia in front. Griezmann had re-joined Atletico Madrid from Barcelona less than 24 hours earlier, while Jules Kounde was sent off for the hosts. Deschamps said: " It is obviously harder with 10 men. We had some chances but it is not the result we were looking for." AFP

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  September 4, 2021 Ukraine 1 (Shaparenko 44') France 1 (Martial 50'): Anthony Martial bundled in a close-range equaliser for only his second international goal - and first since 2016 - as the world champions' stuttering World Cup qualifying campaign continued. "It was much better in the second half and we have regrets in the first as we conceded the goal just after missing a chance," said Deschamps. Reuters

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  September 7, 2021. France 2 (Griezmann 25, 53') Finland 0: A Griezmann double took the striker level with Michel Platini on 41 goals for his country, leaving him 10 behind all-time top scorer Thierry Henry and five short of Olivier Giroud. Captain Lloris said: “It’s not easy to stay at the top level and Antoine has done it for many years now. He’s in the top three scorers of all-time for France and soon will have 100 caps." Reuters

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  November 13, 2021. France 8 (Mbappe 6', 12', 32', 87', Benzema 55', 59', Rabiot 75', Griezmann pen 84') Kazakhstan 0: Kylian Mbappe notched his first hat-trick for France as the reigning world champions secured their place at next year's World Cup in Qatar in style. It was the first hat-trick by a France player in a competitive international since Dominique Rocheteau in 1985. "A World Cup is a dream, an aim, it's everything and ... We're going over there to win it," Mbappe said. AFP

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  November 16, 2021. Finland 0 France 2 (Benzema 66', Mbappe 76'): Substitute Karim Benzema combined with Mbappe for the opening goal while the prolific PSG striker followed on from his four against Kazakhstan with another in Helsinki. "We wanted to finish on a high and we're happy we did it," said Benzema. "Now we're looking forward to the World Cup. With the team we have it's natural to think about [winning] it." AFP

The reigning world champions safely secured their passage to Qatar and the opportunity to defend their crown in the Middle East.

Didier Deschamps's side finished top of Group D, taking 18 points from their eight games and finishing six points clear of second placed Ukraine.

Striker Antoine Griezmann finished as top scorer for Les Bleus after hitting six goals and the Atletico Madrid star now sits third in France's all-time list with 42, nine shy of top gun Thierry Henry.

Kylian Mbappe notched five in the campaign – including four in one game against Kazakhstan – and the Paris Saint-Germain player currently has 27 goals from his 57 national team caps.

In Qatar, France were drawn in Group D alongside Australia, Denmark and Tunisia.

In the gallery above, you can see how France qualified for the finals that kick-off on November 20. To view the next image, click on the arrows or just swipe if on a mobile device.

France's fixtures in Qatar

November 22 France v Australia – Al Janoub Stadium (11pm)

November 26 France v Denmark – Stadium 974 (8pm)

November 30 Tunisia v France – Education City Stadium (7pm)