Here we take a look at France's World Cup squad and the other things it will be handy to know about the Group C challengers.

France's World Cup squad - the 23 names

Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris, Steve Mandanda, Alphonse Areola.

Defenders: Djibril Sidibe, Benjamin Pavard, Adil Rami, Raphael Varane, Samuel Umtiti, Presnel Kimpembe, Benjamin Mendy, Lucas Hernandez.

Midfielders: Paul Pogba, Blaise Matuidi, Corentin Tolisso, N'Golo Kante, Steven Nzonzi.

Forwards: Kylian Mbappe, Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele, Florian Thauvin, Thomas Lemar, Nabil Fekir.

What odds are France to win the World Cup?

Odds 13/2

Who's the coach?

Didier Deschamps, refined ‘water carrier’, who captained the 1998 World Cup winning side and coached them to runners-up spot at Euro 2016.

France's immensely talented squad could go to the semi-finals and further in Russia Credit: Getty Images

Who's the star?

Antoine Griezmann, sinuous dribbler with extraordinary ball skill and a wide range of tricks which he employs pertinently and a wonderfully efficient finisher.

Best thing about them

The youthful zest and swaggering skill of Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Thomas Lemar, Griezmann, Paul Pogba et al make them favourites … for 2022.

Worst thing about them

Inexperience and being more effective playing on the counter - for all their verve they have a strange coyness when the impetus is on them to take teams apart.

Kylian Mbappe is one of the many young talents in this France squad Credit: Getty Images

You may recognise…

All are household names in Europe or soon will be but no one at the tournament will have a tidier beard than facial topiarist Olivier Giroud.

Fans' favourite chant

Perennial favourite: “Allez les Bleus”

On-field prediction

Semi-finals and possibly beyond.

Off-field prediction

Tricolors, dressing and drinking with elan and some berk will smuggle a cockerel into a stadium.