Only three survivors from 2022: France's XI against Morocco completely transformed

France face Morocco in the World Cup quarter-final on Thursday, July 9, 2026 in Boston, four years after their semi-final clash in Qatar. But while the fixture carries echoes of a rematch, the face of the Blues has changed radically: of the eleven starters from December 2022, only three are expected to feature in the starting XI.

Jules Koundé, Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé are the only survivors from the 2-0 victory over the Lions of the Atlas in 2022. Hugo Lloris, Raphaël Varane, Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud have all departed the international stage — or professional football in Varane’s case — since that evening in Doha.

Tchouaméni’s injury deprives Deschamps of another key player. Struck down by a thigh problem on the eve of the Paraguay match, the Real Madrid midfielder is expected to be short of fitness to start against Morocco. Ibrahima Konaté, who started alongside Varane four years ago, has been overtaken in the pecking order by Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba and even Maxence Lacroix. Théo Hernández, who scored the opening goal in 2022, has given way to Lucas Digne, deemed more reliable defensively.

Deschamps’ probable lineup centres on Maignan in goal, a back four of Koundé, Upamecano, Saliba and Digne, a midfield pairing of Rabiot and Koné, and an attacking quartet of Dembélé, Olise, Barcola and Mbappé.

Facing them, Morocco — who were beaten by France in the semi-final before losing to Croatia in the third-place play-off — have the chance to rewrite history. France, meanwhile, approach this quarter-final with a renewed squad but driven by the same ambition: to reach the final four.