Defending champions France will be looking to put turbulent preparations behind them as they open up their World Cup campaign against Australia.
Already having to leave many key players at home, France have had three players drop out of the squad in the space of just a few days, including star striker and Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema. The Real Madrid man was forced out of the finals on November 19 after limping out of training.
Breaking: Karim Benzema will MISS the World Cup. Confirmed. He will not be part of France 26 man squad. 🚨🇫🇷 #WorldCup2022 pic.twitter.com/vVLIl82yqB
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 19, 2022
They are not alone, Australia also have many key players under injury clouds, meaning coach Graham Arnold will have tough choices to make ahead of this match.
Below are the confirmed lineups for both teams.
MORE: France vs. Australia live: World Cup score, highlights, result from 2022 Group D match
France vs. Australia starting lineups
With Benzema officially ruled out on the eve of the tournament, Olivier Giroud and Antoine Griezmann look like the most likely candidates to replace him up top, though coach Didier Deschamps could opt to move star man Kylian Mbappe to a more central position.
There is also debate over who will start in midfield, via the absences of N'Golo Kante and Paul Pogba, with the likes of Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and Adrien Rabiot all potentially in line to start.
Winger Martin Boyle has been forced to pull out of the Socceroos squad due to a knee injury, with Marco Tilio promoted from a standby into the main party.
Key midfielder Ajdin Hrustic, and starting defensive pairing of Kye Rowles and Harry Souttar have also missed large chunks of the club season, casting doubts over whether they will be fit for the opening match.
Below are the projected starting lineups for both teams ahead of their match at the Al Janoub Stadium on 22 November.
MORE: Complete World Cup injury tracker, injuries for all 32 teams
France confirmed starting 11
France (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1. Lloris (GK) – 2. Pavard, 24. Konaté, 18. Upamecano, 21. L. Hernandez – 8. Tchouaméni, 14. Rabiot – 11. Dembélé, 7. Griezmann, 10. Mbappé – 9. Giroud
- Injured: Benzema (withdrawn from squad)
- Suspended: n/a
Australia confirmed starting 11
Australia (4-1-4-1, right to left): 1. Ryan (GK) – 3. Atkinson, 19. Souttar, 4. Rowles, 16. Behich – 13. Mooy – 23. Goodwin, 14. McGree, 22. Irvine, 7. Leckie – 15. Duke
- Injured: Boyle (removed from squad)
- Suspended: n/a
France vs Australia World Cup squads
Here are the 25 names on France's World Cup squad in Qatar:
France
| Position | Player | Club | Age | Caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Alphonse Areola | West Ham (ENG) | 29 | 5 |
| Goalkeeper | Hugo Lloris | Tottenham (ENG) | 35 | 139 |
| Goalkeeper | Steve Mandanda | Rennes (FRA) | 37 | 34 |
| Defender | Axel Disasi | Monaco (FRA) | 24 | 0 |
| Defender | Lucas Hernandez | Bayern Munich (FRA) | 26 | 32 |
| Defender | Theo Hernandez | AC Milan (ITA) | 25 | 7 |
| Defender | Ibrahima Konate | Liverpool (ENG) | 23 | 2 |
| Defender | Jules Kounde | Barcelona (SPA) | 23 | 12 |
| Defender | Benjamin Pavard | Bayern Munich (GER) | 26 | 46 |
| Defender | William Saliba | Arsenal (ENG) | 21 | 7 |
| Defender | Dayot Upamecano | Bayern Munich (GER) | 23 | 7 |
| Defender | Raphael Varane | Manchester United (ENG) | 29 | 87 |
| Midfielder | Eduardo Camavinga | Real Madrid (SPA) | 19 | 4 |
| Midfielder | Youssouf Fofana | AS Monaco (FRA) | 23 | 2 |
| Midfielder | Matteo Guendouzi | Marseille (FRA) | 23 | 6 |
| Midfielder | Adrien Rabiot | Juventus (ITA) | 27 | 29 |
| Midfielder | Aurelien Tchouameni | Real Madrid (SPA) | 22 | 14 |
| Midfielder | Jordan Veretout | Marseille (FRA) | 29 | 5 |
| Forward | Ousmane Dembele | Barcelona (FRA) | 25 | 28 |
| Forward | Kingsley Coman | Bayern Munich (GER) | 26 | 40 |
| Forward | Olivier Giroud | AC Milan (ITA) | 36 | 114 |
| Forward | Antoine Griezmann | Atletico Madrid (SPA) | 31 | 110 |
| Forward | Kylian Mbappe | PSG (FRA) | 23 | 59 |
| Forward | Marcus Thuram | Bor. M'Gladbach (GER) | 25 | 4 |
| Forward | Randal Kolo Muani | Monaco (FRA) | 23 | 2 |
These are the 26 players in the Australia World Cup squad:
Australia
| Position | Player | Club | Age | Caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Maty Ryan | FC Copenhagen (DEN) | 30 | 75 |
| Goalkeeper | Andrew Redmayne | Sydney FC (AUS) | 33 | 3 |
| Goalkeeper | Danny Vukovic | Central Coast Mariners (AUS) | 37 | 4 |
| Defender | Milos Degenek | Columbus Crew (USA) | 28 | 38 |
| Defender | Aziz Behich | Dundee United (SCO) | 31 | 53 |
| Defender | Joel King | OB (DAN) | 21 | 3 |
| Defender | Nathaniel Atkinson | Hearts (SCO) | 23 | 5 |
| Defender | Fran Karacic | Brescia (ITA) | 26 | 10 |
| Defender | Harry Souttar | Stoke City (ENG) | 23 | 10 |
| Defender | Kye Rowles | Hearts (SCO) | 24 | 3 |
| Defender | Bailey Wright | Sunderland (ENG) | 30 | 27 |
| Defender | Thomas Deng | Albirex Niigata (JAP) | 25 | 2 |
| Midfielder | Aaron Mooy | Celtic (SCO) | 32 | 53 |
| Midfielder | Jackson Irvine | St Pauli (GER) | 29 | 49 |
| Midfielder | Ajdin Hrustic | Hellas Verona (ITA) | 26 | 20 |
| Midfielder | Keanu Baccus | St Mirren (SCO) | 29 | 53 |
| Midfielder | Cameron Devlin | Hearts (SCO) | 24 | 1 |
| Midfielder | Riley McGree | Middlesbrough (ENG) | 23 | 10 |
| Forward | Awer Mabil | Cadiz (SPA) | 27 | 29 |
| Forward | Mathew Leckie | Melbourne City (AUS) | 31 | 72 |
| Forward | Marco Tilio | Melbourne City (AUS) | 21 | 5 |
| Forward | Jamie Maclaren | Melbourne City (AUS) | 29 | 26 |
| Forward | Jason Cummings | Central Coast Mariners (AUS) | 27 | 1 |
| Forward | Mitchell Duke | Fagiano Okayama (JAP) | 31 | 20 |
| Forward | Garang Kuol | Central Coast Mariners (AUS) | 18 | 1 |
| Forward | Craig Goodwin | Adelaide United (AUS) | 30 | 1 |