France predicted lineup for the 2022 FIFA World Cup

The defending champions will be looking for yet another successful campaign

An in-depth look at France's 25-man roster, Hugo Lloris will lead the team as the captain, before the team's World Cup campaign gets underway on November 23 against Australia.

The FIFA World Cup will be held in Qatar, and defending champion France has announced its preliminary 25-man roster. Didier Deschamps has given his best while selecting the squad. The Les Blues remain one of the tournament favourites to defend their title, despite N'Golo Kante and Paul Pogba missing the tournament due to injuries, two of France's key midfield players. Karim Benzema, the player of the year this time, is the striker.

The luxury of having a team with tremendous roster depth is available to Didier Deschamps. Despite having a few clear starts, France has players at every position, which is a good thing in a championship like the World Cup where games are scheduled often.

Deschamps is expected to use a 4-2-3-1 system rather than a 4-3-3 formation in the field given the absence of Kante and Pogba as has the young talent Camavinga to replace Kante and Griezmann might play as an attacking midfielder as there is Karim Benzema and Oliver Giroud already in the centre.

Goalkeeper- Hugo Lloris

Unless unexpected circumstances arise, Deschamp's choice for the goalkeeping position will likely be the easiest. The goalkeeper will be Hugo Lloris, who led France to its second World Cup victory in 2018. In 20 games this season for Tottenham Hotspur, the goalie has six clean sheets. Tottenham Hotspur competes in the Premier League.

Left-back- Theo Hernandez

Deschamps has a choice between Lucas Hernandez and Theo Hernandez, both of whom are capable attackers who will contribute to the overlap. Theo of AC Milan will be the preferred choice, though, if France wants an aggressive alternative.

Along with his defensive skills, Hernandez has contributed to Milan this season with two goals and four assists. Hernandez is skilled at contributing to the attack, which is something that fullbacks are required to do in modern football.

Center back- Raphael Varane

Deschamps will be concerned about his defence, with one of his main centre-backs, Raphael Varane, recuperating from injury. While it was initially assumed that Varane would miss the travel to Qatar, testing revealed that his injury is not as bad as first thought, and he will be available for selection and may not miss the tournament opener.

Centre-back- Presnel Kimpembe

Presnel Kimpembe is who Deschamps is most likely to choose as Varane's centre-back partner. The Paris Saint-Germain centre defender is as reliable as they come and has a powerful aerial presence. Deschamps will be hoping that the balance will work in his favour during the World Cup with Varane's ball-playing skills and Kimpembe's reliable presence at the centre of the defence. Arsenal's William Saliba might be given the chance to start due to Kimpembe's injury.

Right-back- Benjamin Pavard

Benjamin Pavard will be the obvious choice for the right. Pavard is the ideal asset to have due to his defensive prowess and ability to consistently put himself in advantageous scoring positions.

Defensive Midfielder- Aurelien Tchouameni

Deschamps is likely to go with  Tchouameni as a DM as he has demonstrated that he can contribute offensively as well as defensively. He may begin with Tchoumeni and then move on to Camavinga. Deschamps might alternatively go with a double pivot of Rabiot and Tchouameni.

Defensive Midfielder- Rabiot

He might start Rabiot as a DM as the experienced player from Paris Saint Germain can play a key role in midfield due to the absence of Paul Pogba and Ngolo Kante, He might also play as a left midfielder if the manager wishes to play a little attacking in a 4-3-3 formation.

Attacking Midfielder- Antoine Griezmann

Griezmann is one of the best players on the pitch when it means representing the national team, Former Euro 2016 top goal scorer has adopted a different type of playing style mostly as an attacking midfielder and he tries to cover most of the ground creating chances, taking shots outside of the box can act very crucial for France in the tournament.

Right Winger - Ousmane Dembele

The French star is in form this season scoring 5 goals and 5 assists for Barcelona and becoming one of the players to create the most chances this season, his sizzle dribbles will benefit the French side to defend their title as he will have Griezmann, Mbappe, Giroud or Benzema to support him on the centre and the right side.

Left Winger - Kylian Mbappe

The Paris Saint Germain star has already scored 19 goals and 2 assists this season and was the best young player of the tournament 4 years back when he scored in the final of the competition and secured the win for France against Croatia. His pace on the wings will help in attracting the defenders which could create space for the strikers to hit the net.

Striker - Karim Benzema

This is where France really shows its strength. Some of Deschamps' options include Karim Benzema, Olivier Giroud, and Christopher Nkunku. This is the department that will keep the France manager on the drawing board.

If Deschamps opts for a 4-3-3 system, he will have the ideal combination of two quick wingers and a fantastic finisher in the middle of the field.

It's difficult to look beyond Mbappe and Dembele on the flanks. Speed, the ability to take defenders on, one-on-one situations, and the ability to find a good ball - both players have the skill set needed to terrorise the opposing defence.

In terms of the No. 9 position, Benzema will be in the starting lineup. Despite his muscle issues, there have been no strong indications that the 2022 Ballon d'Or winner will not be at his best in Qatar. He was the top scorer in both LaLiga and the Champions League last season. He has six goals and one assist in 12 games for Real Madrid this season. Also, Benzema's ability to drop down and create chances will benefit Mbappe and Dembele on the flanks, as they will be able to make runs behind the defence for scoring chances, as Giroud did to great effect in 2018.

Also, the presence of Benzema should not overshadow Nkunku, who has 16 goals for RB Leipzig this season and is an excellent alternative upfront. Despite not scoring a single goal, Giroud has nine for Milan this season and was a crucial member of the 2018 winning side.