An Undoubted Favorite
When the 2026 World Cup begins, France will be viewed as one of the favorites to win its third. Runners-up four years ago after winning the title in 2018, this generation of French stars hopes to cap off a 12-year run with another trip to the final and lifting the trophy.
For Theo Hernández, his opportunity is now. The left back is hoping to become one of the household names from this tournament despite being one of the best at his position in the world. He hasn’t lifted the World Cup trophy, which makes him hungry for even more success this summer.
Creating Chaos Off the Left Flank
Hernández is an attacking left back whose qualities include his speed, dribbling and his ability to be a threat on set pieces. He’s able to provide significant offensive ability on the flank, playing more like a midfielder at times with his ability to go down the field and factor into a scoring chance. He can send pinpoint passes forward and have overlapping runs that can allow him to form dangerous chances. If a team focuses nullifying offensive options, it’s easy to forget him on the wings where he is most lethal.
Despite improving in several areas defensively, he still possesses some limitations. He’s not known for going hard into tackles on the defensive end. When he does, he’s been known to be a bit rash. He could be a guy to watch on the yellow card count, though he and others received a reprieve from FIFA recently on yellow card accumulation being reset after the group stage and the quarterfinals.
France will need Hernández to be better at on-the-ball defending, which is not his strong suit and not something he has to do in bunches with his current club, Al Hilal. However, with the teams they play that have dangerous options on the wings, Hernández will need to deliver some defensive performances to help the team win.
A Point to Prove
Hernández didn’t debut for France until a World Cup qualifier in September 2021. He joined his brother Lucas on the roster and pitch during that international window. Even though he made several rosters for qualifying and the UEFA Nations League in 2021 and 2022, an adductor injury almost cost him a chance at making the squad for the 2022 World Cup.
Still, he received a call-up and became a mainstay in the back line. He started every match for Les Bleus with the exception of the final group stage match (starters were rested) as France once again advanced to the World Cup final. They lost on penalties to Argentina in a match that would go down as one of the greatest of all time.
He scored the opening goal against Morocco in the World Cup semifinals to help France to a 2-0 victory, just his second international goal. Hernández was not only dependable for France, but he stepped up in that big moment to deliver and keep their chances of repeating as champions alive.
France at the World Cup
Hernández should be inked in as the starter at left back for France when the tournament starts in June. Once again, France is expected to be one of the serious contenders to lift the trophy as champions. Hernández is surrounded by talent, but on a team of international superstars he’s the one literally hanging on the wing that wants to just do his part. He’s important to how France attacks and Les Bleus need Hernández to be a glue guy that keeps it all together.
Should he be able to do that, freeing up guys like Kylian Mbappé to create and score, France will once again be right there at the end.
- France vs Senegal — June 16 — 3 p.m. ET from East Rutherford, NJ (MetLife Stadium)
- France vs Iraq — June 22 — 5 p.m. ET from Philadelphia (Lincoln Financial Field)
- France vs Norway — June 26 — 3 p.m. ET from Foxborough, MA (Gillette Stadium)
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