Real Madrid News
Official: Real Madrid duo named in France World Cup squad; one star misses out
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup only a few weeks away, national teams have started to announce the squad list of players that they will be taking to North America for the summer extravaganza.
Earlier today, France announced the squad that will be flying for the tournament set to be played in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
And, two Real Madrid players – Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni have made the cut.
However, there is no space in the team for Eduardo Camavinga, despite reports earlier today suggesting that he was set to be called up by Didier Deschamps.
𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒄𝒖𝒏 𝒂 𝒖𝒏 𝒓𝒐̂𝒍𝒆 𝒂̀ 𝒋𝒐𝒖𝒆𝒓 🇫🇷🌎
— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) May 14, 2026
Voici nos 26 Bleus qui représenteront la France à la 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐞 𝐝𝐮 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 ! 🔥#FiersdetreBleus pic.twitter.com/CqKUzJpSK0
Mbappe’s presence was always a given, considering that he is the captain and the main forward of the team.
Despite having had some injury woes in recent months, the 27-year-old has once again enjoyed a prolific campaign in front of goal and will be gunning for his second World Cup win.
Tchouameni, too, is an indispensable member of Deschamps’ squad, much like he is at Real Madrid, and his selection was never in doubt either.
Camavinga, however, has endured a disappointing campaign with injuries and lack of playing time affecting his confidence heavily. Now, he will also have to sit out of the World Cup.
Real Madrid’s adventure so far under new coach Jose Mourinho has been far from perfect and this fact shouldn’t be lost even after the team’s brilliant comeback win over AS Roma in midweek.
However, there are areas where Los Blancos have shown a clear improvement under Mourinho, when compared to previous bosses such as Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa.
One of those areas has been set plays, with Real Madrid appearing far more potent from set pieces this season.
A clear improvement from last season
As reported by Diario AS, the three goals in Rome, all from Arda Guler corners inside a seven-minute blitz, were the perfect advert for the work being done at Valdebebas.
Those strikes took Real Madrid’s set-piece tally to seven goals in just ten matches this season. Four of them have come in La Liga, one from a corner and three from free kicks, with the trio in Rome completing the haul.
It is a striking figure when set against last season’s return. Under Alonso and Arbeloa, Madrid managed 12 set-piece goals across the entire campaign, all in La Liga, split evenly between six from corners and six from free kicks.
On current trends, this side looks well placed to surpass that number comfortably.
The reason behind Real Madrid’s improvement
Attacking set pieces are led at Valdebebas by Pedro Machado, with the whole coaching staff involved and Mourinho himself giving the final green light on every routine.
Defending them, meanwhile, falls to Sami Khedira, though it is treated as a collective effort. Mourinho’s appreciation of that teamwork was clear when Bellingham headed in a Guler free kick against Espanyol, prompting the manager to leap up and embrace his assistants.
Machado, one of Mourinho’s most trusted lieutenants, has followed him from Fenerbahce to Benfica and now Madrid, part of a backroom team blending experience with young, ambitious talent.
On the pitch, Guler is the undisputed master when available, his left foot the key weapon, with Bernardo Silva, Trent Alexander-Arnold and even Diomande also trusted to initiate attacks.
Such meticulous strategy has helped Real Madrid turn into a potent side from set-pieces this season.
