Didier Deschamps Bets on Désiré Doué and Saliba in France's Starting Eleven. The French national team is fielding a refreshed lineup for the friendly match against Ireland. Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé, and William Saliba are included in the starting squad. Deschamps’ decision could impact the lineup for the World Cup.
On Monday evening in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France head coach Didier Deschamps surprised with his choice of starting lineup for the friendly against Ireland. For the first time, Desire Doue will start on the left wing, preferred over Bradley Barcola. He will join Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise in attack, while Kylian Mbappe retains the captain’s armband.
In defense, Deschamps has entrusted a central spot to William Saliba, who returns to the starting lineup after a break. He will be partnered by Jules Kounde, Dayot Upamecano, and Theo Hernandez. Mike Maignan is in goal. The central midfield axis will be formed by Aurelien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot. This selection could be a rehearsal for the World Cup opener, where France will face Senegal in their first match.
France's lineup for the game against Ireland is as follows: Maignan — Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, T. Hernandez — Tchouameni, Rabiot — Dembele, Olise, Doue — Mbappe (captain). Ireland's starting eleven: P. Charles — Brown, McConville, Hume (captain) — Devenny, S. Charles, P. Kelly, McCann, Spencer — I. Price, J. Donnelly.
Deschamps’ decision in favor of Desire Doue and the return of Saliba to the starting eleven highlight the level of competition within the French squad ahead of major tournaments. Last season, Doue had already made an impact in decisive matches, when his goal secured an important victory for PSG — more on this moment can be found in the article about PSG's key success thanks to Doue.
Friendly matches ahead of the World Cup are traditionally used to find optimal lineups and test young players. France regularly refreshes its squad to remain competitive on the international stage. Ireland, in turn, is also betting on youth and experimenting with tactics. Final squad lists for the 2026 World Cup will be announced closer to the start of the tournament, and such coaching decisions may influence the final selection.
