The French national team is preparing to face Ukraine in Poland for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, in a context marked by criticism of the international calendar and the lack of rest for players. Both head coach Didier Deschamps and captain Kylian Mbappé spoke about the physical toll and the challenges of competing in an increasingly demanding season.

Deschamps and the problem of time

In an interview with L’Équipe, Deschamps explained how he has had to adapt his methods due to the accumulation of matches and the reduced time available to work with the national team. “With my staff, we’ve seen that fatigue is much stronger over the last two years. By March you can already feel it. Can we do anything about it? No,” he said with resignation.

The French coach, who has been in charge since 2014, detailed how training sessions have become shorter and more specific: “Two-hour training sessions or triple sessions no longer exist. We stick to the essentials; there’s no time for more.” He also lamented the reduced preparation days before each international match: “We used to have a week to work, today sometimes only two or three days,” he noted.

Mbappé calls for rest but avoids confrontation

For his part, Kylian Mbappé, Real Madrid forward and captain of France, also gave his view during a press conference. The striker admitted that the heavy workload affects performance: “I’ve never seen a player perform at his best level for 60 matches. Physically you can, but in terms of quality, it’s impossible.”

Still, Mbappé struck a more conciliatory tone than on previous occasions: “Do we play too much? My opinion has changed. I understand people want to see us play, but we also need more rest.” His words reflect the tension between the entertainment demanded by fans and the need to protect players’ health.

A key match in Poland

The clash against Ukraine will be an important test for a France side looking to secure World Cup qualification as soon as possible. Les Bleus arrive as favorites, but accumulated fatigue and limited preparation time are concerns for both Deschamps and the players themselves.

In this context, the match will not only be about crucial qualifying points, but will also highlight how national teams are forced to adapt to an increasingly packed schedule, where talent must coexist with the constant challenge of managing energy.

Here are all the goals: