France’s head coach: Senegal is a very, very high-level opponent

France coach Didier Deschamps has named Spain as the main contenders for the 2026 World Cup, while stressing the difficulty of his side’s opening match against Senegal.

Deschamps made the comments in a pre-match press conference before France face Senegal. He said he has plenty of quality in his squad, but noted that for many of his players it will be their first World Cup.

He added that he does not want to say France are the strongest team in the tournament, but believes Spain are the leading challengers.

Deschamps also underlined the importance of a winning start in a four-team group. He said France always aim to begin with a victory, while acknowledging the emotional side of a first game can be hard to measure and may affect players through tension in the stadium and surroundings.

On Senegal, he was clear about the level of the opposition. Deschamps described them as a very high-level side, saying they sit among the best teams in Africa and in the world, and that France know what to expect in the opener.