Kylian Mbappe is included in France's roster for the World Cup this summer, alongside other top strikers. Ousmane Dembele, Marcus Thuram, and Jean-Philippe Mateta are also in Didier Deschamps' squad.
As Mbappe is such a global star, it will not just be Real Madrid and France supporters who will be checking to see whether he is starting tonight. Les Bleus play Senegal tonight at 8 pm BST. Deschamps' lineup will be announced an hour before kick-off on their official X account: @FrenchTeam.
Is Kylian Mbappe expected to play for France tonight?
It would be a shock if Mbappe is not starting as he is France's main man and their captain. Mbappe has played in all four of Les Bleus' friendly matches this year, starting three of them, and coming off the bench once.
Mbappe started France's last two matches and played 90 minutes in their most recent friendly against Northern Ireland. France's only injury concern was William Saliba, but he also started against Northern Ireland.
France's center-forward depth chart at the World Cup
Player | Club | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
Kylian Mbappe | Real Madrid | 98 | 56 |
Ousmane Dembele | Paris Saint-Germain | 59 | 7 |
Marcus Thuram | Inter Milan | 34 | 3 |
Jean-Philippe Mateta | Crystal Palace | 4 | 2 |
Mbappe is France's undisputed number one striker, despite the country boasting many other talented players in his position. This includes Dembele, who won the Ballon d'Or last year. Thuram did lead France's line against Colombia, which is the only game in which Mbappe did not start for France this year.
Why Kylian Mbappe's role matters for Real Madrid supporters
Mbappe did not have the best end to the season for Real Madrid. He managed just two goals in his final nine La Liga games. However, he still ended the campaign with 42 goals in 44 games in all competitions.
Los Blancos love their star players, and there is no bigger stage than the World Cup. Mbappe won the tournament with France in 2018 and scored a hat-trick in the 2022 final. He will be expected to make another mark at the tournament this summer.
How Kylian Mbappe has performed for France recently
- Mbappe has scored just one goal in the last four games for France. His goal came in a friendly against Brazil.
- The striker did score seven goals in eight Nations League fixtures last year. This shows how he steps up in competitive games for his country.
France team news and predicted lineup
Hugo Ekitike was ruled out of the tournament due to an injury he picked up whilst in action for Liverpool. He would have likely been another center-forward in Deschamps' roster if he were fit.
France expected lineup against Senegal:
Goalkeeper: Mike Maignan
Defenders: Theo Hernández, Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba, Jules Koundé
Defensive Midfielders: Adrien Rabiot, Aurélien Tchouaméni
Attacking midfielders: Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué
Striker: Kylian Mbappé
What to watch for if Mbappe plays tonight
As Mbappe has not been in the best of form for Real Madrid or France this year, it will be interesting to see how his all-around game is. There is no doubt he steps up on the biggest occasions, but Senegal is tough opposition, who will have been preparing how to neutralize Mbappe.
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