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France, in terms of the players they have produced over the years, is a gift that keeps on giving. They have produced players who have conquered the game at both club and international level. The likes of Michel Platini, Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry, Eric Cantona and Laurent Blanc have been key in the nation's success over the years.
France have always been handed a boost for their national pool, owing to their long-drawn and vast colonial history. Players born in former French colonies were all allowed chances to apply for French passports, thus becoming eligible for selection for the national side.
While French teams of the 1980s and 1990s were older, more ruthless and physically dominant, the pattern has slowly changed in recent times. The crop of players climbing up the ranks in the present day are much younger on average than ever before. Players like Kylian Mbappe, Paul Pogba, Raphael Varane, Benjamin Pavard and Adrien Rabiot are all good examples of this trend.
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French teams have played a more fluent and attacking brand of football in recent years, scoring goals for fun and bulldozing their way past opposition defenders. That allowed them to win the 2018 FIFA World Cup in stunning fashion. Mbappe, the talisman, led from the front with two wonderful goals against Argentina in the Round of 16.
However, with France's national team relatively unchanged in the last year or so, it brings up the question: what about their new generation of talent? Are they good enough to make it into Les Bleus' senior squad?
Without further ado, here's a look at five youngsters who can break into France's senior team and make a big splash.
#5 Wesley Fofana (Leicester City)
Wesley Fofana was born in Marseille, France, in 2000, and began his youth career in 2006 with Repos Vitrolles. Following short spells at a few other small clubs, Fofana ended up at Saint-Etienne's youth team in 2015. He played there for three years before being promoted to the senior team in 2018.
Fofana made his senior debut in a 3-0 win over Nice in 2019. He made 41 appearances for Saint-Etienne's A & B teams over two years. He then earned a move to Leicester City in 2020 for a massive £36.5 million fee on a five-year deal.
Fofana made headlines in 2021 for a wholesome moment during a game. Muslim by faith, the Frenchman was observing a fast during the month of Ramadan in April. Leicester City's game against Crystal Palace was paused on the hour-mark to allow Fofana some dates and fluids to break his fast along with Cheikhou Kouyate.
Wesley Fofana has made three appearances for France's U-21 side, and will look to break into the team by continuing to perform well for his club.
#4 Michael Olise
Michael Akpovie Olise was born in 2001 in Hammersmith, England, and played for Chelsea and Manchester City as a youth player. He found consistency at Reading's academy between 2016 and 19 before signing his first senior contract with them in 2019.
Olise is an interesting case in terms of international representation. He was born in England to a Nigerian father and French-Algerian mother, making him eligible to represent England, Nigeria, France and Algeria. However, the youngster chose France, and has two caps for their U-18 team.
Olise won the Championship's Young Player of the Season award in 2021, prompting Crystal Palace to activate his £8.37 million release clause. Since then, the youngster has adapted to the Premier League well.
Although Olise was named in Nigeria's squad for their African Cup of Nations qualifiers in 2021, he can still choose to play for France, as many would hope. Being a left-footed creative midfielder or winger helps his case, as he is in high demand due to his rare skillset.
Whether he chooses to play for France or not remains to be seen. But Michael Olise is a player to watch for years to come.
#3 William Saliba (Marseille, on loan from Arsenal)
William Alain Andre Gabriel Saliba was born in Bondy, France, in 2001, and began his career playing for his hometown's youth team. He had a short spell with FC Montfermeil before joining Saint-Etienne's academy in 2016. It is interesting to note that Saliba was coached by Kylian Mbappe's father in his early days at AS Bondy.
Arsenal were quick to spot his talent, and signed Saliba for £27 million in 2019, before sending him back to France on loan to Saint-Etienne. At the beginning of 2021, he had another loan spell in France with Nice. This time around, he's on loan with Marseille, and has performed well.
William Saliba has helped his team keep 14 clean sheets this season, and we aren't even halfway through.
The Frenchman has made 26 appearances for France across youth levels, scoring four goals as a centre-back. His constant involvement with club and country over the last few seasons has been a strong indication of coaches and managers taking a liking to his contributions.
If that's anything to go by, Monsieur Didier Deschamps is going to have more headaches selecting his France XI in the future.
#2 Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig)
Christopher Alan Nkunku was born in France in 2001, and began his youth career with AS Marolles in 2003. He then moved to Fontainebleau for a year between 2009-10, before joining Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)'s academy. The youngster was promoted to PSG's senior team in 2015.
Nkunku made his first professional appearance in a 2-0 home win against Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Champions League. He scored his first professional goal in a 7-0 Coupe de France win over Bastia. Nkunku made 78 appearances for PSG, scoring 11 goals and assisting four. He was signed by RB Leipzig in 2019 on a five-year contract.
The France international has scored 26 goals and dished out 39 assists in 106 appearances for the German club. However, this season, he has scaled newer heights, hitting double figures for goals (14) and providing a decent number of assists (9) before the mid-point of the campaign.
Nkunku is of French and Congolese descent, and is eligible to play for both nations. However, due to his 24 appearances for France across youth levels coupled with his development years at PSG, there have been suggestions for him to be called up for France.
Considering his red-hot form this season, that is an inevitability. Beyond that, it is up to the player whom he chooses to represent.
#1 Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid)
Eduardo Celmi Camavinga was born in a refugee camp in Miconge, Angola, in 2002. His family fled and moved to Fougeres, France, when he was two. Camavinga began his youth career with Drapeau-Fougeres in 2009, before moving to Rennes four years later.
He signed his first professional contract with Rennes in 2018, becoming their youngest ever player at 16 years and 30 days old. He made his debut in a 3-3 draw with Angers in 2019, becoming the youngest player to play a game for the side. The young Frenchman scored his first professional goal in some fashion, bagging a late winner in a 1-0 win over Lyon in 2019.
Besides the goal, Camavinga had an impressive outing overall, with a 90% passing accuracy and 11 ball recoveries, among other stats.
In 2021, Real Madrid announced that Eduardo Camavinga had signed a six-year contract with them. So far, the France international has made 16 appearances, scoring and assisting one goal apiece,for the club.
Camavinga has represented France's U-21 side seven times, scoring one goal. He was called up to the side owing to Matteo Guendouzi's promotion to the senior team in 2019.
In 2020, Camavinga himself was called up to the senior squad following a positive COVID-19 test for Paul Pogba. That made him the youngest player to be called up for France since Rene Gerard in 1932, aged 17 years, nine months and 17 days.
Later that year, Camavinga became the youngest player to play for France since Maurice Gastiger in 1914. He replaced N'Golo Kante in a 4-2 win over Croatia in the UEFA Nations League. His first goal, though, came in jaw-dropping fashion. Camavinga scored a sharp overhead kick to get the ball rolling in a 7-1 win for France against Ukraine, making him Les Bleus' youngest-ever goalscorer.
Having made over 100 appearances aged just 19, Camavinga is destined for greatness. His place in the national side will depend on how he performs this year for Real Madrid, though, and beyond.
