France have been hit with a blow as Paris Saint-Germain star Ousmane Dembele is set to miss their opening World Cup qualifier against Ukraine.
According to L’Equipe, the attacker, who suffered a hamstring issue during his club’s 6-3 win over Toulouse, skipped Wednesday’s closed-door training session at Clairefontaine and continued working individually.
While he is expected to be back for the following match, France national boss Didier Deschamps is unlikely to risk him from the start in what many regard as the toughest fixture of Les Bleus’ qualifying campaign. With Dembele sidelined, Doue and Maghnes Akliouche are competing for the right-wing role in Wroclaw.
This is more than just a fitness concern, Dembele’s absence comes at a time when his stock has never been higher.
After a treble-winning season with PSG and early whispers of Ballon d’Or contention, his injury knocks the balance of a France side preparing for the long road to 2026.
For Deschamps, the immediate challenge is tactical and reshaping his attack without one of his most dynamic wide players, while also managing expectations in a group where Ukraine and Iceland could pose stubborn resistance. More broadly, France enter this campaign under the captaincy of superstar Mbappe, needing to show early authority as they seek to bounce back from their World Cup final defeat in Qatar.
Dembele’s injury status has overshadowed an otherwise smooth preparation camp. Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate and Juventus’ Adrien Rabiot both returned to full training, offering Deschamps crucial depth.
Tactical drills in Wednesday’s session focused heavily on passing structures and wing rotations, hinting that Deschamps may lean on Doue’s dynamism or Akliouche’s creativity to stretch Ukraine. The match itself will take place in Wroclaw, Poland, a neutral venue chosen due to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
