This Friday, the French national team will face Azerbaijan at 8:45 p.m. at the Stade de France as part of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The match will involve two Paris Saint-Germain players, both French: Lucas Chevalier (23-year-old goalkeeper) and Lucas Hernandez (29-year-old defender). According to RMC Sport, which revealed a likely lineup on Thursday evening, there could be a surprising choice:
Ekitike
Mbappé – Olise – Coman
Rabiot – K. Thuram
T. Hernandez – Upamecano – Saliba – Gusto
Maignan
Seeing Mbappé positioned on the left wing again would be a small surprise — though this lineup is not yet official. Still, it would make sense for a player who enjoys drifting wide and cutting inside from that side. It would also likely give him freedom in attack and the chance to rotate around Ekitike. The only concern would be maintaining defensive balance.
As for the rest, it’s a logical lineup given the players currently available.
