Bayern München · Euro Championship · Defender · #2 · France · 27 yrs
Harry Kane, Michael Olise and Dayot Upamecano have all returned to Bayern Munich training following their involvement in the latter stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They arrive back with just over a week until the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup clash with Klassiker rivals Borussia Dortmund.
France face England in a crucial 2026 World Cup third-place match looking for the bronze, where Jules Kounde will begin the match on the bench. Jules Kounde won’t be part of France’s starting lineup for today’s 2026 World Cup third-place match against England at Miami Stadium, with Malo Gusto taking over at right-back instead. It’s the latest change in a reshuffled back line for manager Didier Deschamps, who has also brought in Maxence Lacroix and Ibrahima Konate at center-back in place of Dayot Upamecano and William Saliba, leaving the defense looking noticeably different from the one that carried France through the tournament. With no trophy left to play for after Tuesday’s semifinal defeat to Spain, Deschamps has treated the match as a chance to spread minutes around the squad rather than lean on his usual starters. Kounde’s role in France’s run to the semifinals Kounde was a fixture at right-back for most of the tournament, starting five matches and helping France to three clean sheets along the way. Jules Kounde in action during the semifinal vs Spain. (Getty Images) He played all three group games during France’s perfect run through the opening round, then delivered a composed 87-minute shift in the quarterfinal win over Morocco, contributing an interception and five clearances to help shut out the Moroccans. Defensively sound and reliable in possession throughout, Kounde’s absence from the lineup Saturday says more about a low-stakes fixture than anything about his form over the past month.
France face England in a crucial 2026 World Cup match in search of third place, where Dayot Upamecano will begin the match on the bench. France face England in the third-place match of the 2026 World Cup at Miami Stadium, and Dayot Upamecano has been left out of the starting team for this game, due to a decision from coach Didier Deschamps. For this game, Deschamps opted for Maxence Lacroix and Ibrahima Konate to form France‘s center-back pairing, with Malo Gusto and Theo Hernandez deployed at fullback. With the tournament’s biggest prize already out of reach after the semifinal loss to Spain, Deschamps has used the match to give minutes to players who haven’t featured as heavily, rotating his backline entirely. Deschamps rolls out several changes Upamecano’s omission from a starting lineup he’d been a regular fixture in throughout the tournament isn’t the only change Deschamps has made for the third-place match against England. Dayot Upamecano during the 2026 World Cup semifinal vs Spain. (Getty Images) Beyond the already-mentioned overhaul at the back, the coach has also decided to hand minutes to Warren Zaire-Emery, Rayan Cherki, and Desire Doue, all of whom had been used mainly as substitutes in previous matches. The changes aren’t wholesale, though, as Mike Maignan, Adrien Rabiot, Michael Olise, and Kylian Mbappe all remain in the starting lineup at Miami Stadium. The France captain still has a chance to fight for the Golden Boot, where he’s tied atop the standings with Lionel Messi on eight goals apiece.
France face England in a crucial 2026 World Cup third-place match, and William Saliba is unavailable for the game. France face England in the third-place match of the 2026 World Cup at Miami Stadium, and manager Didier Deschamps will be without William Saliba for the occasion, as the defender got injured and was ruled out for this game. In his place, Deschamps is expected to turn to Maxence Lacroix, who already stepped in for Saliba during the semifinal loss to Spain and is favored over Ibrahima Konate given his familiarity on the left side of central defense. Saliba was Deschamps’ undisputed starting center back throughout the tournament alongside Dayot Upamecano, though it now appears the Arsenal defender was playing through his injury for the entire World Cup. According to a report from RMC Sport, Saliba wasn’t just injured against Spain — he had been carrying the issue through the entire tournament, managing it well enough to keep playing until his body gave out on the sport’s biggest stage. William Saliba #17 of France is attended to by medical staff after sustaining an injury vs Spain. (Getty Images) What injury did Saliba suffer? Saliba fractured a vertebra in his back during a Premier League match roughly two months before the World Cup began. Rather than pull out of the tournament, he elected to play through it, receiving daily specialized treatment from France‘s medical staff and taking painkillers throughout the competition. The injury finally caught up with him around the half-hour mark against Spain, when he had to be substituted in tears. He’s since been examined by doctors, who are still determining whether surgery will be required, meaning he’s expected to be out for an extended period. It’s a situation that echoes what Samuel Umtiti went through for France at the 2018 World Cup, when the defender played through a serious knee issue rather than have surgery, helping Les Bleus win the title in Russia at a steep cost to the rest of his career.
Facing Spain in the 2026 World Cup semifinals, France star defender William Saliba had to exit the game. France and Spain are battling for a place in the 2026 World Cup final at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, but Les Bleus suffered an early setback when William Saliba was forced off the field under concerning circumstances. In the 28th minute, with France chasing the ball in midfield and under no immediate pressure, Saliba went down and signaled to the bench to be replaced. The nature and severity of the injury have not yet been confirmed, but the sight of one of France’s key defenders leaving the field so early in a semifinal immediately raised alarm. Didier Deschamps turned to Maxence Lacroix as Saliba’s replacement, slotting the Crystal Palace defender alongside Dayot Upamecano in the center of the backline. Lacroix’s only previous minutes in the World Cup came in the final group stage match against Norway, with the defender serving as an unused substitute in every other game. According to RMC Sport‘s Fabrice Hawkins, Saliba’s exit may not have come as a complete surprise to those inside the France camp. Hawkins reported that the Arsenal defender “has been gritting his teeth since the start of the World Cup” while continuing to perform at a high level despite the discomfort. The only match in which he did not feature was the final group stage game against Norway, having completed the full 90 minutes in every other appearance until being forced off against Spain. William Saliba #17 of France walks off the pitch with medical staff after sustaining an injury. Saliba and his ongoing back pain While France have yet to release an official injury report, it is known that Saliba has been managing a back problem that predates the tournament. The first signs emerged during the UEFA Champions League final between Arsenal and PSG, where the defender was spotted receiving treatment from Arsenal’s medical staff during extra time. With Arsenal competing for both the Champions League and the Premier League title in the final weeks of the club season, Saliba was determined to remain available for the run-in. Arsenal’s medical staff put a managed protocol in place to allow him to feature in those final matches, but the underlying issue has clearly persisted, and it has now caught up with him at the worst possible moment.
In France's most recent victory over Morocco, head coach Didier Deschamps decided to start Manu Koné in midfield. Despite his impressive performance, Aurélien Tchouaméni is reportedly expected to return to the starting lineup. Maintaining an attacking approach, France have remained one of the top contenders at the 2026 World Cup. To defeat Morocco in the quarterfinals, head coach Didier Deschamps decided to make a change in midfield, opting for Manu Koné alongside Adrien Rabiot. Although he emerged as one of the team’s best players, he could return to the bench. Aurélien Tchouaméni is reportedly expected to return to the starting lineup against Spain. According to L’Equipe, Didier Deschamps has decided to bring Tchouaméni back into the lineup. During a training session before facing Paraguay, he was diagnosed with a minor muscle injury, leaving him out of the previous two games. Even if Koné performed very well in midfield, head coach believes that Aurélien can provide more balance in midfield, as he has already been fully recovered. While Aurélien Tchouaméni was not coming off his best season with Real Madrid, he established as a starter for France throughout the 2026 World Cup. Without being the team’s most eye-catching player, he has managed to be key in the high press, controlling the tempo of the game. In addition, he has developed a strong understanding with Adrien Rabiot, who plays more as a box-to-box midfielder, moving with freedom while remaining solid defensively. Report: Deschamps makes little changes to France’s starting XI vs Spain France will face Spain in the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup. After Tchouaméni returned to full fitness, they no longer have any absences in the roster, as Kylian Mbappé’s physical issues are not considered serious. As a result, head coach Didier Deschamps has reportedly decided to stick with his tactical approach, making only one change by bringing Aurélien back into midfield, as he looks to lead France to a third consecutive World Cup final. Kylian Mbappe #10 of France celebrates with teammates after scoring In case of keeping a similar lineup, Les Bleus could lineup as follows: Mike Maignan, Jules Kounde, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano, Lucas Digne; Aurelien Tchouameni, Adrien Rabiot; Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé, Desiré Doué; Kylian Mbappé. France’s path to beating Spain may start in the midfield Spain are one of the most dominant teams at the 2026 World Cup. Not only do they possess outstanding goalscoring quality, but their midfield also controls the tempo of the game. Because of this, France will have greater difficulty imposing their style of play, as Spain will approach the match offensively. With that in mind, Didier Deschamps will need to dominate the opposition’s midfield in order to pursue victory. If France manage to control the midfield, they would force Spain to play in transition. Without their wingers at their best, Luis de la Fuente’s team would lose the strongest part of their game: their collective build-up play. As a result, Rabiot and Tchouaméni need to be at their best, but Ousmane Dembélé will also need to contribute in order to put their opponent to sleep and control the game.
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