Didier Deschamps must tread carefully while plotting France's World Cup defence in Qatar

Les Bleus will be without a number of stars who helped them lift title in 2018

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

Several million French citizens will tune into Wednesday's news bulletin on TF1, France’s state broadcaster, with special interest. It has become a tradition for the head coach of the national team to announce, live to the biggest possible audience, the names of the players who will represent Les Bleus at World Cups.

This ritual set-piece is not necessarily a good omen. In 2010, when the French Federation established the peak-time, live-on-air unveiling of World Cup squads, the players named were, within weeks, organising a strike, refusing to train at their unhappy, fractious practice base in South Africa.

Didier Deschamps, appointed manager for the following World Cup tournament, was still dealing with the fall-out from that toxic campaign four years later.

By the time of the Russia tournament in 2018, Deschamps felt more confident of his men. When he listed that squad, a party with some notable omissions, he sensed they could go a long way. He heads to his third World Cup as coach – and his fourth in all; he captained France’s 1998 winners – in charge of the reigning champions.

How many of those champions he takes to Qatar is in some doubt. Twenty-four hours before Deschamps reads out his chosen 26 – or possibly 25; he may not use the entire, expanded Fifa allowance if he suspects a back-of-the-queue outfield player could be grumpy at only being on the bench throughout – he was still checking on significant fitness issues.

Manchester United's French defender Raphael Varane in tears after picking up an injury at Stamford Bridge in London on October 22, 2022. AFP

Among them, Raphael Varane, who two-and-a-half weeks ago limped from the pitch during Manchester United’s draw at Chelsea in tears. He feared a sharp pain in his thigh put his World Cup in jeopardy. Varane will not play in either of United’s remaining matches before club football breaks for the Qatar tournament, but has indicated to Deschamps that his recuperation is progressing well.

Deschamps values Varane, a pillar of Les Bleus’ defence in Russia, and he well knows why the player felt so distraught when injury struck against Chelsea. In 2016, Deschamps had to exclude Varane from his squad for the European Championship, a tournament staged in France, because the defender had suffered a muscle injury during the lead-up to the tournament.

The coach has a strict line. “With my accumulated experience,” said Deschamps, referring to his playing and management career, “I know never to set off [for a tournament] with any player who isn’t ready to start the first match.”

Definitely excluded from the bid to win successive World Cups are N’Golo Kante, with a hamstring problem, and Paul Pogba, whose knee injury and subsequent complications have prevented him even making a debut for Juventus, who he joined from United in the summer. Their absences mean the heart of the Bleus midfield from the 2018 success must be replaced.

Adrien Rabiot, of Juve, will assume some of their responsibilities. When his name is read out, a curious journey will have been completed. Four years ago, Rabiot was named as a back-up reserve, in case of late injury to any of the 23 named in the squad for Russia. He refused to be considered, leading to a period of exile from France’s plans and a frosty relationship with Deschamps.

France's Hugo Lloris kisses the trophy as they celebrate after winning the 2018 World Cup final against Croatia. Reuters

France players celebrate following their side's victory. Getty Images

France's Kylian Mbappe celebrates winning the World Cup. Reuters

Croatia's Mario Mandzukic embarrasses France's Hugo Lloris to make it 4-2. Reuters

Kylian Mbappe drives in France's fourth goal. Getty Images

Paul Pogba strokes home France's third. Getty Images

Paul Pogba celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's third goal. Getty Images

Croatia's Danijel Subasic looks dejected after conceding their third goal. Reuters

Antoine Griezmann of France scores his team's second goal from the penalty spot. Getty Images

Croatia's Ivan Perisic celebrates scoring their first goal. Reuters

Croatia's Ivan Perisic scores their first goal. Reuters

Paul Pogba, Blaise Matuidi and Kylian Mbappe of France celebrate their team's first goal, an own goal scored by Mario Mandzukic. Getty Images

Mario Mandzukic of Croatia scores an own goal for France's first goal. Getty Images

France president Emmanuel Macron alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Reuters

Conor McGregor in the stands. Reuters

France's Paul Pogba. Reuters

Croatia players pose for a team photo. Reuters

France players pose for a team photo. Reuters

The World Cup trophy on display prior to the final. AP Photo

Singer Will Smith performs during the closing ceremony. Reuters

Former German international footballer, Philipp Lahm and philanthropist Natalia Vodianova present the 2018 FIFA World Cup Original Trophy ahead of the final. Getty Images

Inside the stadium during the closing ceremony. Reuters

Performers during the closing ceremony. Reuters

Will Smith, Nicky Jam and Era Istrefi perform during the closing ceremony. Getty Images

Luka Modric of Croatia warms up prior the FIFA World Cup 2018 final. EPA

A French fan hold up a souvenir scarf as he waits for the start of the final match between France and Croatia. AP Photo

Inside the stadium prior to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final between France and Croatia. Getty Images

France's Kylian Mbappe warms up prior to the final. AP Photo

France fans enjoy the pre-match atmosphere prior to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final between France and Croatia. Getty Images

A supporter of Croatia before the start of the final. EPA

Ivan Perisic of Croatia talks with team mates before the final. EPA

Rabiot is not the only Bleu with a troubled history with the manager. Karim Benzema only came back into contention 20 months ago after a five-year absence, the result of a serious falling out with Deschamps.

Benzema, holder of the Ballon D’Or, is now causing a different sort of headache. He has missed eight Real Madrid matches this season with muscular problems and was left out of the line-up for Monday’s defeat at Rayo Vallecano.

Paris Saint-Germain defender Presnel Kimpembe has meanwhile been fit enough for only 70 minutes of action in the past two months, Bayern Munich’s Lucas Hernandez for only 26 minutes since mid-September, and Wesley Fofana no minutes at all since picking up a knee injury playing for Chelsea in early October.

With Barcelona’s Jules Kounde also struggling for fitness, that’s four potential defensive partners of – or replacements for – Varane carrying question marks. Some compensation is provided in the recent form of Arsenal’s William Saliba.

Likewise, if Benzema is running gingerly, there’s been good news for Deschamps in Olivier Giroud’s recent exploits for AC Milan. Giroud at centre-forward, with Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann playing off him, was a fixture at Russia 2018 even though he went goalless through that World Cup.

His place in the hierarchy slipped with Benzema’s international comeback, but Giroud is an evergreen. At 35, he is eyeing the all-time record for goals for France. He needs three to overtake Thierry Henry’s 51. He is targeting the sport’s greatest event as the stage to reach that landmark.