Deschamps, who will leave his post as head coachafter the tournament,revealed the 26 names for the 48-team tournament during the evening news programme of the Frenchbroadcaster TF1.

Mbapp, 27, will lead a group which includes his Madrid teammate Aurlien Tchouamni as well as theParis Saint-Germainstars OusmaneDembl,Dsir Dou, Bradley Barcola and Warren Zare-Emery.

Bayern Munich's Michael Olise, Inter Milan's Marcus Thuram and Monaco's rising star Magnes Akliouche join Mbapp in the front line along with surprise choice Jean-Philippe Mateta from theEnglish Premier Leagueoutfit Crystal Palace

"Hes a player weve been tracking all season," Deschamps told presenter Gilles Bouleau. "Mateta has also had the opportunity to join us on our recent tour of the United States where he performed well. What he did there opened up the possibility for him to return to the team for this World Cup."

Camavinga misses out

Real Madrid midfielderEduardo Camavingawas one of the notable absences from the squad.

He featured at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar just over two years after becoming the second youngest player to make his debut for the national teamat the age of17 years and 303 days.

"It's a tough situation," said Deschamps. "Eduardois coming off a difficult season in Spain where he didn't get much playing time.

"He's also had some injuries. It's true that he became part of the France team very early but he's still a young player. But I understand and I can imagine how hugely disappointed he must be."

Winner as player and coach

In July 1998, Deschamps skippered France to its first World Cup crown following a 3-0 defeat of Brazil in the final at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.

Twenty years later at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, his France team beat Croatia 4-2 to enable him to join the Brazilian Mario Zagallo and Germany's Franz Beckenbauer as the only men to lift the World Cup as a player and as a coach.

"Ive had the privilege and the immense pride of winning the World Cup trophy twice," said Deschamps..

"So those are magical moments," added the 57-year-old. "Youre on top of the world.Its always hard to fully realise it in the heat of the moment, but theres nothing stronger than that.

"I had the privilege of serving the French national team for 11 years as a player, 14 years as a coach that's 25 years professionally. Its the best thing thats ever happened to me, and to have experienced such moments is wonderful."

France kick off their Group I campaign on 16 June against Senegal at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford New Jersey.

On 22 June,they face Iraq at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia and they finish the group stages with a match against Norway at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

In the first tournament to feature 48 teams, the top two from the 12 groups of four sides advance automatically to the last-32 knockout stages along with the eight best third-placed teams. The final will be played on 19 July at theMetLife Stadium.

Half-time show time

Just beforeDeschampsoutlined his choices, Fifa, which organises the World Cup, announced that the usual 15-minute pause between the two halves of the regulation 90 minutes would be extended to allow a half-time musical show for the first time at a World Cup final.

Madonna, Shakira and the K-pop band BTS will provide the songs,said Fifa.

Originally published on RFI