World Cup 2018: Top 5 contenders from Europe

#3 France

The French look formidable and can go all the way

Few teams will be able to match the stardust that the French will be bringing to the World Cup and while doubts remain over the team’s dynamic and cohesiveness as a unit, the sheer quality in the squad could be the deciding factor.

The disappointment of losing the Euro 2016 final on home soil to a not-so-impressive Portugal team still rankles and Didier Deschamps and his Les Bleus side will be looking to make things right and go one step better at the FIFA World Cup.

There is quality across the length and breadth of the 23-man squad that was released by manager Deschamps and it is now up to the man who captained Les Bleus when the nation won its first World Cup in 1998 on home soil to set up his team properly and lead them to glory once again.

Antoine Griezmann, multiple times UCL winner Raphael Varane, teenage sensation Kylian Mbappe and skipper Hugo Lloris are just some of the top class players that the French will be counting on to continue Europe’s dominance of the World Cup trophy.