Les baby Bleus! France field youngest opening XI since 1930 World Cup

Didier Deschamps has put his faith in youth after naming France’s youngest side for an opening World Cup fixture in 88 years.

Rising stars Kylian Mbappe, 19, and Ousmane Dembele, 21, both start for Les Bleus in the Group C clash against Australia in Kazan on Saturday.

The forward duo are joined up top by Antoine Griezmann, who will be in action for the first time since confirming he will remain at Atletico Madrid for the 2018-19 season.

Deschamps has also selected a pair of 22-year-old defenders in Benjamin Pavard – who plays for Stuttgart in Germany – and Lucas Hernandez, a club colleague of Griezmann’s at Atletico.

There is also a place for midfielder Corentin Tolisso, who is 23, in an XI captained by Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, the veteran of the bunch at the grand old age of 31.

With an average age of 24 years and six months, it is the youngest XI to appear for France in their first fixture at a World Cup since the side that faced Mexico at the 1930 tournament in Uruguay.

1930 – This France starting 11 (24 years & 6 months) is the youngest one for Les Bleus in an opening game of the World Cup since 1930 (23 years & 11 months v Mexico). Future. #WorldCup #FRAAUS pic.twitter.com/OzVCgdgMma

— OptaJean (@OptaJean) June 16, 2018