Dugout Discussion
16 June 2026 171 comments
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In their first meeting since the shock 2002 World Cup opener, France and Senegal square off at the New York New Jersey Stadium.

Kick-off in the Group I curtain-raiser is at 20:00 BST.

TEAM NEWS

Jules Kounde ($5.4m) gave France an injury scare in their final pre-tournament friendly but he’s fit enough to start at right-back this evening.

William Saliba ($5.3m) has also had his fitness concerns over the last fortnight but joins Kounde in Les Bleus’ back four.

The front four of Michael Olise ($9.5m), Ousmane Dembele ($10.0m), Desire Doue ($7.5m) and Kylian Mbappe ($10.5m) is as expected, and indeed the one that Didier Deschamps sent out for the 3-1 win over Northern Ireland last Monday.

In fact, the entire starting XI remains unchanged from that game.

Rayan Cherki ($6.0m) has to settle for a place among the substitutes, then.

The Manchester City man is among seven France players with an ownership of over 5% in World Cup Fantasy. The others, Mbappe, Olise, Dembele, Saliba, Kounde and Mike Maignan ($5.0m), all start.

As for Senegal, not one of their squad members enjoys anywhere near that level of popularity.

Sadio Mane ($7.6m) and Edouard Mendy ($4.5m), owned by 1.8% and 1.1% of managers respectively, are their most-selected players.

There aren’t too many shocks with Pape Thiaw’s line-up, with Nicolas Jackson‘s ($6.7m) red card against Saudi Arabia a week ago not affecting his availability for today’s game.

LINE-UPS

France XI: Maignan, Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, T Hernandez, Tchouameni, Rabiot, Olise, Dembele, Doue, Mbappe.

Subs: Samba, Risser, Gusto, Digne, Konate, L Hernandez, Lacroix, Kone, Kante, Zaire-Emery, Cherki, Akliouche, Thuram, Barcola, Mateta.

Senegal XI: E Mendy, Diatta, Koulibaly, Niakhate, E Diouf, Camara, I Gueye, P Gueye, I Sarr, Mane, Jackson.

Subs: Y Diouf, Diaw, M Sarr, Seck, Jakobs, A Mendy, Ciss, P Sarr, Diarra ,C Ndiaye, Diao, Dieng, I Ndiaye, Mbaye.


171 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Christina.
    • 16 Years
    8 hours, 52 mins ago

    Let's do this Senegoal.

    1. Hughes Your Daddy
      • 14 Years
      8 hours, 38 mins ago

      Yep, lets go Sarr!

  2. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    8 hours, 28 mins ago

    French bench could field a second World Cup team that would be joint favourites with the first team…

    1. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      8 hours, 7 mins ago

      And they’ve still got players like Kroupi, Camavinga, Chevalier, Truffert, Yoro and Thauvin who didn’t get called up

  3. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    8 hours, 27 mins ago

    Olise haul please…

  4. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    8 hours, 23 mins ago

    Pat Nevin has such a whiny voice….

  5. FOREST FOREVER 2
    • 1 Year
    8 hours, 12 mins ago

    Nicholas Jackson offisde.
    The sky is blue.

  6. JBG
    • 8 Years
    8 hours, 10 mins ago

    I'm starting to wonder if I liked football more when defenders couldn't keep the ball as easily as midfielders do nowadays...

    Also, every attacker I've C'd so far suddenly doesn't now how to take the ball down from a simple pass or cross towards them.

    1. JBG
      • 8 Years
      8 hours, 9 mins ago

      Know*

    2. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      8 hours, 8 mins ago

      Teams shouldn’t be allowed to train together, they just turn up and play. Would make it much more interesting…

      1. JBG
        • 8 Years
        8 hours, 6 mins ago

        You're probably joking, but at least it would be more entertaining. Sick of "mid-maxing" every attack or possession.

        I want some sort of chaos.

        1. Jafooli
          • 14 Years
          8 hours, 2 mins ago

          Agreed, the uncertainty of football was what made it more entertaining. And big tackles, jinky runs, wonder goals etc

          Seems like football by AI these days…

  7. Fifa las vegas
    • 13 Years
    8 hours, 9 mins ago

    Why is Olise playing CDM?

    1. Tomerick
      • 11 Years
      8 hours, 2 mins ago

      If you want the indisputable scientific answer, it is because he’s my captain.

    2. bso
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      7 hours, 54 mins ago

      So annoying!

  8. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    8 hours, 3 mins ago

    Why was Chalobah called up and not Lewis Hall? Injury to Cricky O’Reilly and Spence will need to switch. Injury to James and their down to one LB/RB?

    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      8 hours ago

      *they’re

    2. EmreCan Hustle
      • 13 Years
      8 hours ago

      You don't like the idea of Konsa and Burn playing as full backs?

      1. Fifa las vegas
        • 13 Years
        7 hours, 58 mins ago

        😆

    3. keefy59
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      7 hours, 56 mins ago

      Yes a strange one replacing a full back with a centre back
      Garner from Everton could have been a good pick as he's played at right back before & can cover CDM
      Plus in my opinion he's better than Henderson anyway .

      1. bso
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        7 hours, 53 mins ago

        Why is Henderson in the team at all...he is way past it. Weird manager choices.

        1. JBG
          • 8 Years
          7 hours, 51 mins ago

          From what I read online, he genuinely seems to be team cheerleader... might play some mins.

          1. bso
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            7 hours, 48 mins ago

            Never heard of a team who wants to win the big trophy bothering with a cheerleader lol. You would think everyone was fired up anyway.

            1. x.jim.x
              • 11 Years
              7 hours, 44 mins ago

              The Argies did it with Aguero tbf, but the whole squad selection is a joke

            2. Fifa las vegas
              • 13 Years
              7 hours, 36 mins ago

              Neymar?

  9. Charlie Price
    • 5 Years
    7 hours, 59 mins ago

    Anyone else bored already with these group games? When you know that 66% of third placed teams are going through to the knockout stages it hardly makes for compelling viewing with so little jeopardy involved.

    1. NZREDS
      • 12 Years
      7 hours, 51 mins ago

      True but it does us more games and more chances of some of the underdogs going through next round instead of the same old favourite two of each group - more dynamic and less predictability

      1. Charlie Price
        • 5 Years
        7 hours, 45 mins ago

        Ok but it takes all of 72 games to reduce the field from 48 to just 32 teams. Hence the potential for boredom particularly when it’s so easy to qualify.

        1. Tomerick
          • 11 Years
          6 hours, 54 mins ago

          I’m enjoying it.

  10. JBG
    • 8 Years
    7 hours, 58 mins ago

    Jackson post and out...

  11. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    7 hours, 58 mins ago

    Jackson misses

  12. bso
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    7 hours, 57 mins ago

    I hope Senegal scores soon, it may wake up the lazy French side.

    1. Haa-lala-land
      • 5 Years
      7 hours, 55 mins ago

      They both seem to have settled for 0-0 already

      1. Charlie Price
        • 5 Years
        7 hours, 33 mins ago

        Hence my comment earlier about it being too easy to qualify.

  13. keefy59
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    7 hours, 55 mins ago

    Jackson hits the barn
    But not the door

  14. Camzy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    7 hours, 48 mins ago

    France look poor. But a lot of teams grow into a tournament. Can't forget that Argentina lost their first game against Saudi Arabia at the last WC.

    1. JBG
      • 8 Years
      7 hours, 46 mins ago

      Imo not looking that different from Spain. Both lack urgency.

      1. x.jim.x
        • 11 Years
        7 hours, 43 mins ago

        Players are getting bogged down by adverts

    2. Gizzachance
      • 11 Years
      7 hours, 25 mins ago

      Spain also lost an opening game an won tournament to

    3. Haa-lala-land
      • 5 Years
      7 hours, 24 mins ago

      Trie, but also Senegal appear a pretty good team themselves

      1. Winging it
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        7 hours, 3 mins ago

        Plenty of people already knew that Senegal were a decent international side.

  15. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    7 hours, 45 mins ago

    This game is just too slow

  16. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    7 hours, 36 mins ago

    Didn’t expect to be saying this, but looking forward to the adverts…

  17. JBG
    • 8 Years
    7 hours, 36 mins ago

    France attack is proper shite so far

  18. Fifa las vegas
    • 13 Years
    7 hours, 31 mins ago

    That is FPL Sarr as opposed to conference league Sarr finishing

  19. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    7 hours, 31 mins ago

    Should I just keep hold of Estupiñán for round 2 despite him not featuring at all in the first match?

    1. Freshy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      7 hours, 25 mins ago

      If they start him it will be in the attack

  20. lilmessipran
    • 13 Years
    7 hours, 30 mins ago

    Sarr sitter missed

  21. JBG
    • 8 Years
    7 hours, 30 mins ago

    Sarr thought they where playing American football and had to kick a field goal.

  22. keefy59
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    7 hours, 29 mins ago

    The fastest the French players ran in the first half was for the drinks break

  23. Christina.
    • 16 Years
    7 hours, 28 mins ago

    could have been 2-0 to Senegoal with some luck

  24. Gizzachance
    • 11 Years
    7 hours, 26 mins ago

    Best cap so far, Rangel a keeper !
    Now on Mbappe, France look average, be Bruno, kane Diaz
    Surely one gonna get something!

    1. keefy59
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      7 hours, 24 mins ago

      Max captain in this round was the way to play
      So many miss matched games surely one of them is going to give a premium player a big score
      Plus no stick or twist dilema's

      1. Gizzachance
        • 11 Years
        7 hours, 22 mins ago

        Who’s your captain? Or you on max? And who’s best so far

        1. keefy59
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          7 hours, 14 mins ago

          Kimmich on 8 x 2= 16 so far
          Yes I'm on max & hoping for a big score from Haaland later tonight v Iraq.
          He's a flat track bully & loves smashing weak opposition
          One idiot YouTube content creator has him as 12th man so can't even captain him !

          1. Gizzachance
            • 11 Years
            7 hours, 11 mins ago

            Creators eh !
            Good luck with cap pick

            1. keefy59
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 8 Years
              7 hours, 10 mins ago

              Apologies to said commentator if you're reading this
              No hard feelings just my opinion

  25. Freshy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    7 hours, 26 mins ago

    Squads that loaded up on players in the first few games for the early temporary high score are still winning.

    1. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      7 hours, 12 mins ago

      I'm hoping that Iraq, Jordon and DR Congo concede lots of goals now

  26. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    7 hours, 14 mins ago

    Previously it was Giroud and Griezmann on to rescue France. Now they have Mateta and Thuram!

    1. EmreCan Hustle
      • 13 Years
      7 hours, 11 mins ago

      Mbappe might be their most decorated player, but I wish they started with Cherki instead and with Dembele upfront.

      1. GreennRed
        • 14 Years
        7 hours, 3 mins ago

        Dembele hasn't a good goalscoring record for France.

  27. bso
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    7 hours, 9 mins ago

    Mbappe is just not in the mood and doesn't what anyone thinks.

    1. bso
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      7 hours, 9 mins ago

      care

  28. EmreCan Hustle
    • 13 Years
    7 hours, 9 mins ago

    Chelsea legend Mendy with a top save.

  29. keefy59
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    7 hours, 2 mins ago

    Corruption check in place

  30. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    7 hours, 1 min ago

    Shocking poor refereeing decision to not award a penalty

    1. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      6 hours, 59 mins ago

      He jumped over Mane's leg. No contact. Mbappe should have been given a yellow card for diving.