Didier Deschamps pointed to Spain as the main threat for the World Cup title, even as France prepared for a demanding Group I opener against Senegal on Tuesday at New York New Jersey Stadium. The match will start Deschamps' last major tournament in charge of Les Bleus and comes with high expectations after Spain's European Championship triumph and strong analytical backing.
Pre-tournament modelling from the Opta supercomputer gave France a 14% chance of lifting the trophy, while Spain led the field at 16%. Those figures aligned closely with Deschamps' own assessment of the hierarchy. However, Deschamps was careful not to dismiss France's chances before a ball had been kicked in North America, stressing the competitive balance at this World Cup.
Pressed on whether France should be regarded as favourites for the World Cup, Deschamps turned again towards Spain, while also underlining the potential of a refreshed French squad. "If the Spanish consider us to be the favourites for the World Cup. If there is one favourite, it is Spain, Deschamps told reporters. Obviously, France has high-level potential, but the road is long. There is also a renewal, with players of great quality but for whom it will be the first World Cup. I'm not going to consider the French team stronger than the others, but the big favourite is Spain. I have no doubt about that. "
Deschamps enters this tournament with a significant personal record. The meeting with Senegal will be Deschamps' 20th World Cup game as France head coach. Only Helmut Schon has overseen more matches with one national team at the competition, managing 25 with West Germany. Deschamps is also one of three people to win the World Cup both as a player and a coach, alongside Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer.
France and Senegal share a short but important World Cup history. Their only previous meeting on this stage came in 2002, when Senegal won 1-0 in the group phase. That fixture was Senegal's first ever World Cup match and also the last occasion France lost their opening game at the tournament, a reminder of the threat posed by Tuesday's opponents at New York New Jersey Stadium.
Both teams travelled to this World Cup in strong qualifying form, underlining the difficulty of France's first assignment. France stayed unbeaten, winning five of six qualifiers and drawing once, while Senegal also finished their group without defeat, placing ahead of DR Congo. Their records are shown below to highlight the scale of the task facing Deschamps' squad.
| Team | Qualifying record | Key detail |
|---|---|---|
| France | 5 wins, 1 draw, 0 losses | Unbeaten in Group I qualifying |
| Senegal | Unbeaten, topped group | Finished ahead of DR Congo |
Asked whether France altered preparation specifically for Senegal, Deschamps insisted the approach stayed consistent, while praising the strength of Aliou Cisse's team. "Nothing. Because of what Senegal has achieved, they are a very, very high-level opponent but there was the same attention, the same respect for the opponents we have faced before. But Senegal is one of the best teams in Africa and the world. "
World Cup France Spain focus and Ousmane Dembele
Deschamps also addressed the situation of Ousmane Dembele, who arrives after an impressive domestic year with Paris Saint-Germain but a less productive spell with the national side. Dembele produced 22 goals and 12 assists in 44 matches across all competitions in the 2025-26 season, yet has only seven goals in 59 appearances for France and was replaced in the 41st minute of the World Cup final defeat four years earlier.
Explaining Dembele's mixed record with Les Bleus, Deschamps referred to injuries, schedule demands and recent events in Europe. "He started early in the national team, but he also had a lot of breaks due to his injuries, Deschamps said of Dembele's form for France. At club level, there are matches every three days. TheBallon d'Or that he deserves has highlighted it. He is focused, like everyone else, with the desire to be good and decisive, as he is quite regularly with PSG, even though, this season, he has had physical problems that have led him to skip a lot of matches. We gave him time physically and psychologically to be able to evacuate the Champions League final and change. But with Ousmane at the top of his level, it will be a plus for the French team. "
With Deschamps closing an era, France balancing renewal and experience, Spain viewed as leaders in the title race and Senegal offering a stern first examination, this World Cup campaign begins under tight scrutiny. The opener in New York New Jersey will quickly show how accurately forecasts, history and individual form reflect France's real level.
