When France starts its World Cup against Senegal at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, it will bring back memories of the 2002 opener in Seoul, South Korea, when the Lions of Teranga upset Les Bleus in a match that sparked dancing in the streets of Dakar.
Seeking its third world title after 1998 and 2018, France is among the tournament favorites with a roster headed by Kylian Mbappé, Hugo Ekitike, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise. In its last prep matches before June, Les Bleus beat Brazil 2-1 and Colombia 3-1.
France coach Didier Deschamps complained of long security lines in the U.S. and cited traffic getting to Foxborough, Massachusetts, site of his team’s first-round meeting with Norway.
“The hardest part is the roads that take a long time, too long, and so to come to the stadium it took us an hour and 15 minutes before a match,” he said through a translator of a March friendly against Brazil. “It’s not easy.”
Deschamps, the coach since 2012, intends to step down after the tournament.
France
With a title, Les Bleus would become just the fifth nation with three or more championships, joining Brazil (five), Germany and Italy (four each) and Argentina (three).
Mbappé won the Golden Boot at the 2022 tournament, when he scored eight goals and joined England’s Geoff Hurst in 1966 as the only players with a hat trick in a men’s World Cup final. In his prime at age 27, he heads into June friendlies with 56 international goals, one shy of Olivier Giroud’s France record.
In the 2022 final, France lost to Argentina on penalty kicks.
“Personally, I’m never going to get over it,” Mbappé said.
Since winning the 2018 tournament, France lost to Switzerland in the round of 16 at the European Championship in 2021, to Argentina in the 2022 World Cup final and to Spain in a Euro 2024 semifinal.
Norway
In the World Cup for the just the fourth time and first time since 1998, Norway is led by 25-year-old Erling Haaland, among the world’s most prolific strikers. He has topped 30 goals in four straight seasons for Manchester City and with 55 international goals heading into June is his nation’s career leader.
“It’s a great responsibility to bring Norway to the World Cup,” Haaland said. “It’s a lot on my shoulders and that’s what I’ve been working to do.”
His father, Alfie, played for Norway at the 1994 World Cup in the U.S.
Alexander Sørloth, 30, is another prolific Norwegian scorer. Midfielder Martin Ødegaard, Norway’s captain, has been slowed this season by knee and shoulder injuries.
This will be Norway’s first major tournament since it was eliminated the group stage of its only European Championship appearance in 2000.
Senegal
The Lions of Teranga are heading to their third consecutive World Cup amid a dispute with Morocco over which is the legitimate African champion.
Senegal defeated Morocco in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations in January but was stripped of the title because of team conduct near the game’s end.
The African soccer confederation said Senegal had forfeited the match when coach Pape Thiaw brought his players off the field for 15 minutes to protest a late penalty kick awarded to Morocco. Senegal has appealed the decision.
Senegal also won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2021 when it beat Egypt on penalty kicks after a 0-0 draw in the final. Sadio Mané, now, 34, scored the decisive kick and is his nation’s leading scorer with 53 international goals, including a team-high five in 2026 qualifying.
Other top players include goalkeeper Édouard Mendy, midfielder Idrissa Gueye and defender Kalidou Koulibaly.
Iraq
The Lions of Mesopotamia beat Bolivia in a playoff to reach its first World Cup since 1986, when they went 0-3.
Graham Arnold is the coach after two previous stints leading his native Australia.
Top players include 30-year-old striker Aymen Hussein, fifth on his nation’s scoring list with 33 international goals; forward Mohanad Ali; and midfielder Amir Al-Ammari.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
