France's World-Class Squad Depth Built on a Special Youth System

Belgian defender Thomas Meunier once controversially claimed that French football has enough talent to field three lineups that could all win the World Cup. Whether true or not, the depth of Les Bleus is undeniable.

According to data from transfermarkt.com, a lineup of French players not included in the 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup would still have a total transfer value in the top five globally, surpassing Portugal, Brazil, Netherlands, and even defending champions Argentina. That lineup includes Lucas Chevalier (€30 million), Pierre Kalulu (€32 million), Jérémy Jacquet (€55 million), Leny Yoro (€50 million), Adrien Truffert (€25 million), Boubacar Kamara (€40 million), Eduardo Camavinga (€50 million), Dilane Bakwa (€28 million), Senny Mayulu (€40 million), Khéphren Thuram (€40 million), Moussa Diaby (€28 million), and Junior Kroupi (€40 million) — a total value of €418 million.

Foundation from Training Centers

The journey to the top began with the disappointment of French teams consistently failing at major tournaments from the 1930s to the 1970s. The solution, proposed by national team coach Georges Boulogne in the early 1970s, was to establish training academies called Centres de Formation.

“France hadn’t won any titles, and it was decided that a new structure was needed,” said Franck Bentolila, administrator of INF Clairefontaine. The government backed the program, seeing it as a way to promote the image of France through sports.

A total of 16 centers were created, the first opening in 1974 in Vichy, recruiting young players from across the country and overseas territories. Early results were modest: France won the European Championship in 1984, Olympic gold in 1984, reached the World Cup semifinals twice, but then failed to qualify for the 1990 and 1994 World Cups.

By 1998, everything clicked. The multi-ethnic squad nicknamed “Black-Blanc-Beur” won the World Cup on home soil. Coach Aimé Jacquet dedicated the victory to “all the amateur clubs and training academies.”

Former France captain and goalkeeper Bernard Lama noted: “The era of Platini, Giresse, Tigana had plenty of talent, but they didn’t win the World Cup. The difference with our generation is that we all came from academies. And we were hungry for titles. Plus, we had a special talent: Zinedine Zidane.”

Immigration Factor and Talent Explosion

Lama believes France’s success is a combination of training centers and immigration. “People from overseas — Africa, French Guiana, Martinique — brought us two things: music and sports. And now there’s a generation of their children born and raised in France, like Dembélé, Doué. They are hungry to win for many reasons. But above all, they have talent.”

Lama worries that modern football is turning players into “robots,” but France remains fortunate to have individuals who can make a difference. “That could be the strength of the national team and also PSG: the ability to score. Today we have 4-5 players like Akliouche, Cherki — talents of a different kind. When there’s such an explosion of talent, the coach has more attacking options.”

Most national team players, regardless of background, go through academy training. But development starts much earlier. “It’s culture,” Bentolila said. “In the U.S., as a kid you pick up a basketball or a football. In France, you have a ball at your feet as a child and are free to use the facilities.”

Longtime coach and scout Stéphane Nado added: “The secret is a combination of hard work, structure, and organization. The player is at the center of the project. They are educated and not separated from their family. It’s important to keep their psychological roots. That’s why France is one of the best player-developing and exporting countries in the world.”

At Clairefontaine, training blends street football skills with organization: many one-on-one and two-on-two drills. “You have to fight. Good ball control, good touch, then organize possession, 5 vs. 2. As soon as you receive the ball, you must control it well. We do that a lot,” Bentolila said.

Clairefontaine now focuses on younger age groups, leaving the development of older players to clubs. Development is expanding beyond official centers and academies. “Paris and São Paulo are the two best regions in the world for talent,” Bentolila said. “Why? Because of private academies. Kids aged 8 or 9 play every day. Amateur coaches don’t give them a full meal, just a snack at 4 p.m. Then they do homework and train. By age 12, they play like Mbappé.”

He noted: “In Paris, there are unknown amateur clubs that can beat Barcelona’s youth team and many professional clubs. They play anywhere, anytime, an 8-year-old against a 10-year-old. They are like soldiers, fighting every day, and they are good because they play under pressure.”

In the 1980s, France was nicknamed “the Brazilians of Europe.” It took a long time for Les Bleus to truly live up to that nickname, in their own way. “Brazilian coaches once told me: ‘In my country, poor people can succeed through football or music. So we start the day with football.’ In France, we go to school first, then train. We do it every day, and like Brazil, we play a lot and play well,” Bentolila concluded.