France arrive at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with what many believe is the tournament's most explosive attack.
Kylian Mbappe remains the face of the national team. Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele is coming off the best season of his career. Michael Olise and Rayan Cherki have injected fresh creativity into the squad. On paper, few teams can match the sheer depth of attacking talent Didier Deschamps has at his disposal.
Yet as Les Bleus prepare to open their campaign against Senegal in New Jersey, one date continues to hover over the fixture: June 2002.
Twenty-four years ago, Senegal stunned the reigning world champions 1-0 in one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history. It remains one of the defining moments in African football and one of the darkest
chapters in France's World Cup story.
Deschamps insists this is a different generation. But the lessons from that collapse remain relevant.
The Shadow of 2002
The similarities are difficult to ignore.
Back in 2002, France arrived in Asia as defending world champions and European champions. Their squad was packed with stars. Thierry Henry was tearing up the Premier League, David Trezeguet was Serie A's leading scorer, and Djibril Cisse had just finished as Ligue 1's top marksman.
Yet France failed to score a single goal, finished bottom of their group and exited the tournament in humiliation.
Former defender Lilian Thuram later admitted the squad had fallen into a dangerous trap.
"We thought we were better than we really were," Thuram recalled. "We were living in a cocoon. "
It is exactly the mentality Deschamps is desperate to avoid.
The France manager has repeatedly stressed humility throughout the build-up to this tournament, even as some of his players have spoken confidently about France's chances.
Recent comments from Lucas Hernandez claiming France possess "the best attack in the world" and Rayan Cherki's promise that France want to "crush" opponents have only strengthened Deschamps' message. For him, talent alone guarantees nothing.
A New Era Led by Mbappe
Much has changed since France reached back-to-back World Cup finals in 2018 and 2022.
Hugo Lloris, Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud and Raphael Varane have all stepped away from international football, ending one of the most successful eras in French football history.
The responsibility now belongs to Mbappe.
The Real Madrid forward inherited the captaincy following Lloris' retirement and enters the tournament carrying the expectations of an entire nation. But replacing leadership is not as simple as replacing goals.
Deschamps himself has acknowledged that Mbappe possesses a very different personality to his predecessor. While his influence on the pitch is unquestionable, France are still searching for the collective leadership that defined previous generations.
Players such as Mike Maignan and Adrien Rabiot are expected to fill some of that void, but the transition remains a work in progress.
Can Mbappe and Dembele Coexist?
If there is one tactical question hanging over France's campaign, it is how best to maximise both Mbappe and Dembele.
Dembele's transformation into one of Europe's most devastating central attackers has sparked a debate in France over his ideal role. Many believe he should play through the middle after his success at Paris Saint-Germain.
The problem is that Mbappe already occupies that position for the national team. Deschamps has experimented with solutions, including deploying Dembele in a more central creative role behind Mbappe during the recent win over Northern Ireland.
The early signs were mixed. Michael Olise stole the headlines with a hat-trick, while Dembele struggled to impose himself. However, France have enough quality and flexibility to continue refining the formula as the tournament progresses.
The challenge for Deschamps is ensuring that individual brilliance translates into collective balance.
Fresh Faces, Fresh Energy
One area where France have clearly learned from past mistakes is squad renewal.
Unlike the 2002 squad, which largely relied on the same core group that won in 1998 and 2000, this France team has undergone significant regeneration.
Ten players are appearing at a major international tournament for the first time. Twelve have never played at a World Cup.
Olise and Cherki, in particular, represent the new generation. Their emergence has added unpredictability to a side that has often been criticised for being overly structured under Deschamps.
The France manager appears willing to loosen the tactical reins in his final tournament before Zinedine Zidane is widely expected to take over after the World Cup. There is a growing sense that this could be France's most attacking side under Deschamps.
Senegal Won't Be Intimidated
If France enter the match carrying expectation, Senegal arrive carrying belief. The memory of 2002 still resonates deeply within Senegalese football.
Current manager Pape Thiaw was part of the squad that shocked France in Seoul, and while he acknowledges this is a different challenge, he understands the psychological significance of the fixture.
Senegal may not possess France's depth, but they have consistently proven capable of competing with elite opposition on the biggest stage.
For them, this is more than just another group-stage game. It is an opportunity to write another chapter in one of the World Cup's most compelling rivalries.
More Than Just an Opener
France remain among the favourites to lift the trophy. Their attacking depth is arguably unmatched, their squad is younger and fresher than in previous tournaments, and Deschamps brings unrivalled tournament experience.
But World Cups have a habit of exposing teams that arrive believing their own hype.
Nobody understands that better than France. The ghosts of 2002 may no longer haunt the dressing room, but the warning signs remain clear.
Talent wins headlines. Humility wins tournaments. And against a Senegal side that still remembers one of football's greatest upsets, France cannot afford to forget that.
