France vs Senegal: Should Didier Deschamps start Desire Doue, Bradley Barcola or Rayan Cherki?

Didier Deschamps has never had to deal with a shortage of attacking talent during his 14 years in charge of France, and yet even by the standards of a squad that routinely produces some of the finest forwards in European football, the competition for one specific starting berth at this summer's World Cup is particularly fierce.

With Kylian Mbappe leading the line, Ballon D’or holder Ousmane Dembele looks set to play in the No. 10 role, while Michael Olise seemingly secured his spot after the hat-trick against Northern Ireland just before the World Cup.

Now, the question about who occupies the remaining attacking position, most likely a left-sided or rotational forward slot in Deschamps's 4-2-3-1, has come down to three extraordinary young players, with Rayan Cherki, Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue set to battle it out.

Sports Mole takes a look at the case for each of these players, while giving a verdict in the end.

Rayan Cherki

At 22 years old, Cherki is perhaps the most naturally gifted of the three when the ball is at his feet, and he is the kind of player who can produce something that simply does not belong in a coaching manual, an instinctive dribbler with two-footedness that gives defenders very little to read.

His debut Premier League season at Manchester City confirmed what Lyon fans had known for years, that he is an elite creative talent capable of performing at the very highest level.

Cherki registered 11 goals and 16 assists across 52 appearances for City in all competitions, a contribution that helped establish him as one of the most productive attacking players in England last season, as he adapted swiftly to a more demanding and physical league, combining technical quality with a genuine willingness to make things happen for those around him.

The City midfielder's weakness, if one can call it that, is that his style demands a level of creative freedom that can be difficult to accommodate in a shape as structured as the one Deschamps tends to deploy.

Cherki operates best when games are open and he can drift between lines, and in a tournament opener against a well-organised side, that may count against him.

Bradley Barcola

Of the three, Barcola has arguably the longest track record of consistent output at the highest level. The 23-year-old left winger has been one of PSG's most reliable contributors since his move from Lyon in 2023, with his 2024-25 season particularly impressive.

Across 67 matches in all competitions, Barcola registered 21 goals and 20 assists, numbers that placed him among the most productive wide forwards in European football.

Barcola brings pace and directness that Cherki and Doue do not quite replicate in the same way; he is a runner who can hurt teams in behind, which is a quality that becomes especially valuable in a World Cup tournament where defensive blocks are common and space on the counter-attack is often the best opportunity available.

His understanding of the system at club level — playing alongside Dembele, and at times Doue, in Luis Enrique's PSG — means he has already developed chemistry with several of his international teammates, though, where his case weakens slightly is in his 2025-26 form.

Barcola was less prolific last season relative to his previous output, scoring 13 times in 48 games, and the crowded nature of PSG's attack has seen him spend more time coming off the bench in recent months.

Deschamps may feel that Barcola is better deployed as an impact option rather than a starter, particularly with Mbappe already providing the direct, penetrative threat from the front.

Desire Doue

And then there is Doue, who at just 21 years old, has had two straight seasons that has been almost impossible to argue with, having finished the 2024-25 campaign with 16 goals and 14 assists in 62 appearances for PSG, earning both the UEFA Champions League Young Player of the Season and Ligue 1 Young Player of the Season awards, while he 13 goals and eight assists in 40 appearances in 2025-26.

When PSG needed him most in the knockout stages of the Champions League, he delivered, repeatedly and in front of the biggest audiences in European club football, ending the season on a high.

And unlike Cherki, Doue is comfortable playing on either flank and has shown he can perform in tight, high-pressure matches without his level dropping, and unlike Barcola, he has arrived at this summer's tournament in the kind of form that demands he be accommodated in the starting XI.

Doue also brings something slightly different to what Deschamps already has in his forward line, as he is not only direct, but also clever, and can play through pressure rather than around it, which gives France a way to progress in games where space is limited.

The Verdict

All three players deserve to be at this World Cup, and all three will contribute before it is over. But if Deschamps is picking his best available XI to face Senegal on Tuesday and potentially carry France deep into the tournament, then Doue is the right choice, making the reports that he is set to start come as no great surprise.

At 21, he is already used to big moments, and that matters in a tournament where individual quality under pressure can be the difference between going home early and lifting the trophy. Cherki and Barcola are both outstanding players who will have important roles to play, but right now, Doue is the one in the best form, having ended the campaign better with five goal contributions in his last six matches for PSG.

For Deschamps, in what will be his final World Cup as manager, that is the most compelling argument of all.