No African side reached the second round of the 2018 Russian world Cup this year for the first time since 1982‚ providing a moment for reflection on football on the continent.
But France should provide a top choice for fans from Africa to get behind for the remainder of the tournament as they have 15 players in their 23-man squad that have some connection to the continent.
Steve Mandanda (goalkeeper): Born in Kinshasa‚ DR Congo and moved to France as a teenager. Plays for Marseille.
Presnel Kimpembe (defender): Born in France to a Congolese father and a Haitian mother. Plays for Paris St Germain.
Samuel Umtiti (defender): Born in Yaoundé‚ Cameroon but moved to France at the age of two. Plays for Barcelona.
Adil Rami (defender): Born in France to Moroccan parents. Plays for Marseille.
Djibril Sidibé (defender): Born in France to parents of Malien descent. Plays for Monaco.
Benjamin Mendy (defender): Born in France to parents of Senegalese descent. Plays for Manchester City.
Paul Pogba (midfielder): Born in France to Guinean parents. Plays for Manchester United.
Thomas Lemar (midfielder): Born in France and is of Nigerian/Guadeloupe descent. His grandfather played for the Super Eagles. Plays for Monaco.
Corentin Tolisso (midfielder): Born in France with a father of Togolese descent. Plays for Bayern Munich.
N’Golo Kanté (midfielder): Born in France to Malien parents. Plays for Chelsea.
Blaise Matuidi (midfielder): Born in France to an Angolan father and a Congolese mother. Plays for Juventus.
Steven Nzonzi (midfielder): Born in France to parents of DR Congo descent. Plays for Sevilla.
Kylian Mbappé (striker): Born in France to a Cameroonian father and an Algerian mother. Plays for Paris Saint-Germain‚ on loan from Monaco.
Ousmane Dembélé (striker): Born in France to a Nigerian/Malien father and a Mauritanian/Senegalese mother. Plays for Barcelona.
Nabil Fekir (striker): Born in France to parents of Algerian descent. Plays for Lyon.
