It would be difficult to discredit France’s status as the most eye-catching team of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
From just four games, Les Blues scored thirteen goals, with their attacking quartet operating in hypnotic synchronicity.
Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise and Bradley Barcola/Desire Doue have dived past defenders and continually shifted positions and roles to create scoring opportunities for themselves and others.
What they haven’t done much is crossing the ball, a crucial attacking tool in football across all eras and levels.
France has averaged just 2.3 accurate crosses per match, the seventh lowest for any team in this World Cup. This is also a sharp decline from the 2022 figures (6.1) – the second highest in that edition.
Not a single French goal in this tournament was a direct result of a cross. This comes from a side that scored four goals directly from crosses in Qatar, the third most for any team.
What has changed? Simply put, France doesn’t have to rely on crosses anymore.
In 2022, the French forward was managed by Oliver Giroud, a traditional striker who enjoyed aerial duels.
The anchor of the French attack is now Mbappé, a much more mobile striker who prefers the ball on the carpet rather than in the air.
What has also changed is the main creative outlet. In Qatar, France relied heavily on Antoine Griezmann to create chances, and crosses were his currency. He fired in a tournament-high 17 successful crosses, aimed at Giroud and even Mbappe in the box.
In 2026, Olise will be in charge for France, an agile and electric striker better suited to creating chances with short-range passes in tight spaces.
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Olise has five assists to his name this World Cup, four of which have come from penetrating, divot-hugging balls that have cut through defensive lines.
Without a goalkeeper in the penalty area and working on a system designed to keep the ball on the ground, France have had just five goal attempts in the tournament – just nine teams have had fewer.
This shift has also allowed France to minimize the game’s volatility. A cross-heavy strategy would require the team to push more players into the penalty area to challenge for the ball.
According to a report from the FIFA Training Center, France had an average of 3.2 players in the penalty area during crossing situations during the 2022 World Cup.
The challenge arises when the opponent’s defense clears the cross, as the attacking team would invariably have a numerical disadvantage in midfield and would have to endure a risky transition.
But with the current formation, France will likely have more players behind the ball when they lose the ball, giving the team a better chance to counter-press and regain possession. It also helps that players like Dembélé, Doué and Barcola play for PSG, a team known for its tenacity.
Despite giving up a major offensive option, France has registered sparkling attacking numbers, thanks to its ability to break defenses in other ways.
At the heart of it all is France head coach Didier Deschamps’ decision to abandon his pragmatic attitude. Over the past three World Cups he has insisted that safety comes first, often deploying an extra defensive option in midfield.
But eventually, in 2026, he surrendered to the temptation, creating a surplus of attack options on the front line.
The resulting French attacking quartet has so far overpowered opponents with fluid football, even without the crutches or crosses.
In the Round of 16 on Saturday, France will take on Paraguay, a team known for packing central areas and defending decisively with a low block.
It remains to be seen whether France would return to its cross-heavy strategy if it fails to open up Paraguay through the middle.
Published on July 4, 2026
