Predicting France's Euro 2016 Starting XI
France’s 1-0 defeat to Germany in the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup is the last competitive game Les Bleus will play until they host the 2016 European Championships. Since that loss, coach Didier Deschamps has resisted making too many changes to the majority of his squad, which should give a good indication of who will be in his starting XI in two years’ time.
This summer’s squad already had an excellent mix of experience and youth as Deschamps tried to take a small step towards building a squad for the next two tournaments.
In his first squad announcement after the World Cup, only Mickael Landreau—through retirement—and Olivier Giroud—through injury—were replaced. The other 21 members of his team remained in place.
Slowly but surely Deschamps has made some changes, but the mood around the squad is one of continuity and consistency. Decisions are not being made lightly and without injury or severe drops in form, the 23 men Deschamps picks in 18 months won’t be too removed from the group that went to Brazil.
With that in mind, here is a predicted starting XI for when France play their opening game of Euro 2016.
Goalkeeper: Hugo Lloris
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There is absolutely no reason to believe that the Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper won’t be France’s No. 1 when the side hosts the tournament next summer.
The only real debate is if he will still be playing at Spurs, per ESPN FC, but as long as he is playing at a competitive team in a top league, Deschamps will continue to make Lloris his first-choice between the sticks.
Marseille’s Steve Mandanda and Rennes ‘keeper Benoit Costil are the main competitors for the back-up spot, but both would be unlikely to replace the former Lyon man.
Behind two of those three, you would have to look towards youth for the third choice. Toulouse’s Zacharie Boucher, Paris Saint-Germain loanee Alphonse Areola and Paul Nardi, on loan from Monaco at Nancy would be the most likely candidates.
Any of those three, especially the supremely talented Areola, will go on to replace Lloris long-term, but no one is taking his spot in the next two years.
Right-Back: Mathieu Debuchy
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For a number of years now, it has been hard to see where the next future French right-back was going to emerge from. Both Bacary Sagna and Mathieu Debuchy battled it out for the right to start in Brazil, and both look likely to continue that tussle for the next two years.
The only problem for Deschamps would come if either was to miss the tournament through injury.
Dimitri Foulquier of Granada plays in that position for the under-21 side, but he looks a few years off being ready for the full side. It is a problem position for Les Bleus, with no real candidates ready to step forward.
With Debuchy injured, the next possible contender was Lyon’s Christophe Jallet. The 30-year-old made an unexpected comeback at international level and is unlikely to be favoured when the tournament comes around.
Centre-Back: Raphael Varane
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In the friendly against Armenia last month, Raphael Varane became the youngest captain in the history of the French national team. The 21-year-old was handed the armband when PSG midfielder Blaise Matuidi was replaced at half-time.
The honour of captaining one’s country is as special as it comes, and after just 15 caps, it shows just how far the Real Madrid defender has come. There is little doubt that the centre-back has a long career in front of him and this will not be the last time he leads out his country.
Expect Varane to continue as France’s first-choice defender all the way to the Euros. The only real question is, who will be his partner?
Centre-Back: Aymeric Laporte
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This is going to be one of Deschamps' toughest decisions over the next two years. France has an abundance of options in the centre of defence, with more and more making their name each season, it’s tough to keep up.
At the World Cup there was Mamadou Sakho, Laurent Koscielny and Eliaquim Mangala, with all three still having a claim of playing at the Euros. Add to that Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma, Newcastle United loanee at AS Roma, Mapou Yanga-M’Biwa and Barcelona’s Jeremy Mathieu and you have six genuine candidates.
Samuel Umtiti of Lyon didn’t even get a mention, but the standout player, with the world at his feet, is Athletic Bilbao’s Aymeric Laporte. Still only 20 years old, the defender has played nearly 60 games over three seasons but looks like he could have played around 600.
Assured on the ball, controlled, good in the air, he is everything you want from a centre-back.
Most countries would have already fast-tracked him to the first team, but Laporte is still paying his dues, playing for each age group from under-17 to the under-21 side. It will only be a matter of time before Deschamps takes him to the full squad, once he has completed his apprenticeship at Les Espoirs.
Expect Laporte to line up next to Varane when France hosts the 2016 European Championships.
Left-Back: Lucas Digne
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When the PSG defender was playing for Lille in northern France, he was worthy of a call to Deschamps' squad. It wasn’t until he moved to Paris that he received the long-awaited call, so he is not going to be willing to let go of this opportunity.
Digne is the rightful successor to Patrice Evra’s throne, but France fans hope he can add a more attacking threat down the left wing.
The 20-year-old has a wonderful left foot, great awareness to play in the early cross and a desire and hunger that helps him protect the defence rather than abandon his responsibilities.
Central Midfield: Paul Pogba
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It is expected that Deschamps will continue to play three across the middle leading up to the 2016 Euros. There is perhaps an option to play 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-1-2 but the base of the midfield will be made up of three central midfielders.
There is basically no future for this France team without Juventus star Paul Pogba playing the leading role. The midfielder is on the verge of greatness and the next Euros are set to be when Pogba takes another step towards becoming one of the biggest stars in the game.
With every game that passes, Pogba is transforming into the player that will give France an element of unpredictability and take them to the next level.
Be it when he is either running forward with the ball or controlling the middle of the park, he looks head and shoulders above everyone else on the field.
Pogba is Deschamps' X-factor and it is going to be wonderful to watch him over the next couple of seasons.
Central Midfield: Blaise Matuidi
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With the stamina of seven players, a never-ending passion to drive and press, Matuidi is the perfect complement to the skill and flair of Pogba.
He is everything you want from a central midfielder. Matuidi will run himself into the ground, never giving up until the game is over. He also adds an attacking element with his forward runs and powerful left foot.
He could be a future France captain with his exemplary attitude. If you don’t love Matuidi, you don’t love football.
Central Midfield: Morgan Schneiderlin
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The third place in the midfield is the hardest to pick. It has for so long been the role of Yohan Cabaye, but his performances for PSG have been poor and his future at the moment looks bleak.
Cabaye is severely lacking confidence at the moment and looks like the shell of the player that moved to Paris last winter. There is now an opportunity for someone to come in and play the role of France’s deepest-lying midfielder.
Currently, there is no one better equipped than Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin. With his club riding high in the Premier League, the Frenchman’s confidence couldn’t be higher.
Schneiderlin could play the Cabaye role with a better defensive presence, protecting the back four, but also linking up both sides of the play.
If Schneiderlin fails to take this chance to prove his worth, France could also look towards Giannelli Imbula, Maxime Gonalons and Geoffrey Kondogbia, but Schneiderlin is at the perfect age to peak in 2016.
Attacking Midfield: Mathieu Valbuena
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There was a worry when the 30-year-old moved to Dinamo Moscow in Russia that he would disappear off the radar, but the former Marseille man has started his career in Eastern Europe well and should be able to continue his creative role for Les Bleus.
Both Nabil Fekir and Remy Cabella are the natural successors to the throne, but Euro 2016 might come too soon for both, especially if Cabella fails to find his feet at Newcastle United.
Although he will be 32 years old, the nature of his ability means he should be able to influence Deschamps' side the same way he did at the World Cup without missing a beat.
The only person that can stop Valbuena is the man himself.
Forward: Alexandre Lacazette
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If the form of Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette continues on its current course, it will be impossible not to pick him come 2016.
Last season, after scoring 15 goals in Ligue 1, Lacazette missed out on the World Cup squad and he has done everything possible to win back his place.
As Lyon’s most influential player, he already has 11 goals this season and could go beyond the 20-goal mark. With every game he seems to improve and in 18 months he could be one of the hottest strikers in Europe.
This is not forgetting about Antoine Griezmann, who played at the World Cup, or the possible return of Franck Ribery, but there is no player with as exciting a future than Lacazette.
Even Didier Deschamps won’t be able to ignore that sort of talent.
Forward: Karim Benzema
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The enigma that is Karim Benzema is set to continue as France’s leading frontman over the next two seasons. Where he somewhat fails to hit the heights for Les Bleus, his form for Real Madrid makes it impossible to drop the former Lyon striker.
At the start of the World Cup he was like a striker possessed and looked like he would make a real impact, but in true French fashion the performances faded.
However, in Spain, you can’t fault his goal record. After scoring 17 goals last season, he already has six goals in nine games this campaign. Playing beside Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale is helping Benzema continue to develop, he just needs to show the same levels of form for Les Bleus.
Olivier Giroud and Andre-Pierre Gignac will continue to fight for a place in the squad beside Benzema, but it is unlikely that either would be able to do enough to knock the Real Madrid man to the bench.
Like Lacazette, if Benzema continues to score goals for Real Madrid, there is no way Deschamps will stop picking him. Perhaps a tournament in his own country would be one to inspire him to greatness.
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