Blaise Matuidi, a World Cup winner with France in 2018, believes Michael Olise has the quality to fire Les Bleus to a third consecutive World Cup final — and he is not shy about naming Dayot Upamecano as a defensive force to be reckoned with, either.

Speaking to FourFourTwo at a MatchWornShirt exhibition event in New York City, the 39-year-old former midfielder offered a candid assessment of France's prospects at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.

Olise singled out

"If you have to choose one I say Olise at the moment is doing so well," Matuidi said. "He does everything, he knows what to do with the ball and without the ball, so he's a player that can change the game in one minute."

That endorsement carries real weight coming from a man who played a central role alongside Paul Pogba in France's midfield during their triumphant 2018 campaign in Russia. Matuidi's words of praise land in a squad already brimming with attacking talent — Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Désiré Doué among those vying for starting berths.

He also reserved special mention for Upamecano at the back. "There are many talented players, they have the quality especially offensively. Even defensively when you see Upamecano, he's a monster," he added.

Chasing history in North America

France are targeting a place in three consecutive World Cup finals — a feat no nation has managed since Brazil won their fifth title at the 2002 tournament in Japan and South Korea. Les Bleus reached the final in 2018, lifting the trophy in Moscow, before Argentina defeated the holders on penalties in a gripping 2022 final in Qatar.

Matuidi is confident the current squad has what it takes, though he urges caution. "I hope that France will go all the way. They have to take it step by step, game after game. But they have the talent and the quality," he said.

Memories of 2018

Reflecting on the scenes that greeted the squad upon returning home from Russia, Matuidi grew visibly emotional. "The craziest thing I saw was when we landed in Paris — all the people on the bridges. That was something I'd never seen before in my life," he recalled.

"It doesn't matter the colour of the people, they were all together and everywhere — all the windows from the airport to the Champs-Élysées. That was a fantastic atmosphere, a fantastic moment, and one that will stay in my head for my life."

Matuidi also spoke warmly of his bond with Pogba during their international years together. "When I was in the national team my favourite roommate was Paul Pogba, because we had many years together. Since 2013, we were together and spent a lot of time in the national team together," he said.