Mbappe, Benzema, Dembele train with France ahead of Qatar World Cup - in pictures

France's superstar strike duo Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema were out on the training pitch on Thursday ahead of the Qatar World Cup's big kick off.

The reigning champions have taken a formidable choice of attacking options over to Qatar ahead of their opening match against Australia on Tuesday, including the Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid pair – although the Ballon d'Or winner's fitness remains a concern.

Also training in Doha were the likes of Antoinne Greizmann of Atletico Madrid, Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele and Olivier Giroud of AC Milan – although the latter was seen receiving medical treatment after picking up an injury during the session in Doha.

Earlier, Giroud had been talking about how he is hoping to break Thierry Henry's record and become France's all-time leading goalscorer at this year's tournament.

Giroud turned 36 in September and had not been a regular in recent France squads but nine goals this season for the Serie A champions convinced manager Didier Deschamps to take the veteran forward to Qatar.

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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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

“For me it is kind of a blessing to have the opportunity to play for my country at a third World Cup. I want to enjoy every single moment,” Giroud told reporters before France trained at the home stadium of Qatari champions Al Sadd.

“Of course I have this target in my head to beat 'Titi' [Henry] but the main one is as a team, to go as far as we can in the competition.”

Giroud became France's oldest international goalscorer in September when he netted for the 49th time for his country in a Nations League game against Austria.

The former Arsenal and Chelsea striker, who has 114 caps and is about to play in his third World Cup, is now just two goals away from equalling 1998 World Cup winner Henry's record haul of 51 for Les Bleus.

Mbappe, Benzema, Dembele train with France ahead of Qatar World Cup - in pictures

Real Madrid star Benzema continues bid to be fit for Les Bleus' opening game as Giroud picks up injury during session in Doha