World Cup 2026: Marcel Desailly backs France for glory, tips Portugal as dark horse

Former France captain Marcel Desailly believes Les Bleus have the quality to challenge for World Cup glory but has tipped Portugal as a potential dark horse capable of making a deep run at the tournament.

The Accra-born1998 World Cup winner says France possess one of the strongest squads in international football and should once again be among the leading contenders heading into the competition in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Speaking to Flashscore ahead of France’s opening game against Senegal, Desailly pointed to the depth of talent available to Didier Deschamps as a major advantage over rival nations including Argentina, Spain, Brazil and England.

According to the former defender, France’s collection of elite players places them in a unique position, provided the coaching staff can establish the right tactical balance.

Desailly highlighted the leadership of Kylian Mbappe as another positive, insisting the Real Madrid forward’s status within the squad is fully accepted despite the presence of other star names.

While backing France to challenge for the title, the former Chelsea and AC Milan star reserved special praise for Portugal, predicting they could emerge as the surprise package of the tournament.

“I believe that Portugal will be the surprise of the tournament,” he said.

He also warned that France’s opening fixture against reigning African champions Senegal could prove decisive in shaping their campaign.

“The way you start the first match will set up the rest of your tournament.”

Despite acknowledging the dangers posed by Senegal and a difficult group stage, Desailly remains confident France can advance comfortably under the expanded 48-team format.

“There is the possibility of France winning,” he said.

The former FIFA World Cup champion believes a place in the semi-finals should be the minimum expectation for a squad packed with world-class talent.

France begin their campaign next week in New Jersey carrying the weight of expectation, but Desailly insists they possess the quality and experience required to compete for football’s biggest prize once again.