Alongside Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Michael Olise, another familiar name continues to surface: Raphael Varane, whose absence from the squad has once again sparked conversation before the competition even begins. France heads into the 2026 World Cup with enormous expectations after reaching the final in two of the last three editions. Under Didier Deschamps, who will leave his position after the tournament, Les Bleus once again possess one of the deepest and most talented squads in international soccer. Alongside Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Michael Olise, another familiar name continues to surface: Raphael Varane, whose absence from the squad has once again sparked conversation before the competition even begins. The French national team completed its preparations with a 3-1 friendly victory over Northern Ireland, reinforcing confidence ahead of a difficult Group I campaign against Senegal, Iraq, and Norway. With Kylian Mbappe captaining the side and an attack overflowing with creativity, France is widely considered one of the favorites to lift the trophy. Deschamps has assembled a squad packed with elite-level talent across every position. Real Madrid superstar Mbappe remains the face of the national team, while Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele enters the tournament in sensational form after another outstanding campaign. The tactical evolution of the French side has also become one of the major talking points before the World Cup. Following criticism after Euro 2024, Deschamps shifted toward a more fluid 4-2-3-1 system, allowing creative players greater freedom in advanced areas while maintaining defensive balance. James Rodríguez of Colombia is challenged by Maxence Lacroix of France. Les Bleus’ defensive solidity has remained impressive as well. The side conceded only four goals during qualifying, showcasing the balance between attacking brilliance and tactical discipline that has defined Deschamps’ tenure. The reason for Raphael Varane’s absence While France’s current squad is filled with emerging stars, many supporters have continued asking the same question ahead of the World Cup: why is Raphael Varane missing? The answer traces back several years before the tournament itself. Varane initially stepped away from international soccer in February 2023, shortly after France’s heartbreaking defeat to Argentina in the 2022 World Cup final. The defender explained that the physical and mental demands of elite soccer had played a significant role in his decision. At the time, the former Real Madrid and Manchester United defender had already accumulated 93 appearances for France, winning the 2018 World Cup and establishing himself as one of the greatest defenders in the nation’s history. Varane hoped for fresh start in Italy, but everything changed almost instantly Although Varane retired from international soccer first, he continued playing at club level until the summer of 2024. After leaving Manchester United, he signed for Serie A side Como in what many believed would be a fresh chapter in his career. However, disaster struck almost immediately. Just minutes into his competitive debut for Como, Varane suffered a serious knee injury that ultimately changed the course of his future. The injury ultimately convinced the defender to retire completely from professional soccer in September 2024 at only 31 years old. Reports later confirmed that he transitioned into a non-playing role within Como following his retirement. Raphael Varane of France looks on Huge legacy behind Varane’s absence from the 2026 World Cup represents the end of an era for France’s defence. For more than a decade, he formed the backbone of Les Bleus alongside players such as Hugo Lloris, Antoine Griezmann, and Paul Pogba. His composure, positioning, and leadership played a major role in France’s triumph at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. He also helped the national team reach another final in Qatar four years later, narrowly missing out on a se
The Redmen TV's Dan Clubbe says Liverpool re-signing Darwin Nunez "might work" despite sounding "crazy". The Uruguay striker departed for Al-Hilal for £46m last summer but was left out of the Saudi Pro League side's squad for the second half of the season and is reportedly considering terminating his contract with the club. The 26-year-old has been linked with a return to Anfield, especially with Hugo Ekitike sidelined with a long-term Achilles injury.
Alberto Aquilani has been named as Sassuolo head coach, and he will have the task of coaching a former team-mate in Domenico Berardi. The post Aquilani honoured to coach former team-mate Berardi at Sassuolo appeared first on SoccerNews.
Guillermo Ochoa and Santiago Gimenez are not part of Mexico’s starting lineup against South Africa in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off this Thursday at Estadio Azteca with Mexico taking on South Africa. The hosts will be without two of their biggest stars in the starting XI, as head coach Javier Aguirre has opted to leave Guillermo Ochoa and Santiago Gimenez on the bench. Following the opening ceremony, the official lineups for both teams were announced ahead of the tournament opener. Among Mexico’s starting eleven, the absence of Ochoa stood out, as he will not begin the World Cup as the team’s first-choice goalkeeper. Instead, Raul Rangel will get the nod, a decision that comes as little surprise considering he started Mexico’s last eight friendlies during the team’s preparation for the FIFA tournament. As a result, Ochoa and Carlos Acevedo will serve as backup goalkeepers. Ochoa still reaches a World Cup record Even though he is not part of Mexico’s starting lineup, Guillermo Ochoa will still achieve a FIFA World Cup milestone on Thursday while sitting on the bench—one that no other player has reached before in the tournament’s history. Javier Aguirre, Head Coach of Mexico. Ochoa is the first player ever to be part of six different FIFA World Cup editions. His first experience came at Germany 2006, and he has been included in every Mexico squad at the tournament ever since. In the coming days, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will match that mark, though with one key difference: the stars of Argentina and Portugal have played matches in all six of their World Cup appearances and, barring any unforeseen issues, will do so again this summer. Ochoa, meanwhile, was an unused substitute in both 2006 and 2010 and appears likely to remain without minutes in 2026 as well. Santiago Gimenez awaits his opportunity off the bench Just like Guillermo Ochoa, Santiago Gimenez will begin the 2026 World Cup among the substitutes and will have to wait for his opportunity to make an impact in the FIFA tournament. The 25-year-old striker appears to have fallen behind Raul Jimenez in Aguirre’s pecking order, with the veteran forward earning the starting role on Thursday. The 2025-26 season was a difficult one for Gimenez. He managed just 18 appearances for AC Milan due to physical setbacks, recording one goal and three assists across Serie A, Coppa Italia, and the Supercoppa Italiana. That lack of playing time also affected his standing at the international level, allowing Raul Jimenez to move ahead of him in the battle for the starting spot.
South Africa open the 2026 World Cup against co-hosts Mexico, and coach Hugo Broos acknowledged the challenge facing his team. The post South Africa must be at their best against ‘dangerous’ Mexico, warns Broos appeared first on SoccerNews.
