French winger Ousmane Dembele is set to return to action in France's final FIFA World Cup warm-up match against Northern Ireland tomorrow after being rested following Paris Saint-Germain's UEFA Champions League triumph.
France coach Didier Deschamps has confirmed that Dembele is in line to feature after missing Les Bleus' 2-1 loss to Ivory Coast, with the winger given extra time to recover following PSG's Champions League final victory.
Deschamps says Dembele and other players who featured in the final were rested to allow them to recover properly before joining the national team's World Cup preparations.
France have also received a boost with defender William Saliba declared fit despite ongoing concerns over a back issue.
Deschamps dismissed fears over Saliba's availability, saying all 26 players in the squad are available for the clash against Northern Ireland.
He noted that while Saliba continues to be monitored by the medical staff, the injury has not prevented him from playing regularly for Arsenal, including in the UEFA Champions League final, where he played the full 120 minutes.
Meanwhile, reports in France suggest there is tension within the squad over the use of player image rights, with Kylian Mbappe and Rayan Cherki reportedly seeking clarification from the French Football Federation regarding a promotional campaign involving a sports betting company.
France are using the Northern Ireland fixture as their final preparation before the tournament gets underway.
Meanwhile, the FIFA World Cup 2026 begins this Friday.
France will open their campaign against Senegal next Wednesday at 7am in the USA, before facing Iraq on June 23rd at 12pm and Norway on June 27th at 7am.
Source: FOX Sports
