How old will Kylian Mbappé and France’s 2026 World Cup players be in 2030, and could they return?

While the end of the 2026 World Cup wasn’t what France expected after losing to Spain in the semifinal, the future still looks bright as the team led by Kylian Mbappé could largely return in 2030.

The most important thing for France going forward is that Mbappé will be just 31 years old. With the advances in sports science and player longevity, that age should not be a problem for a player of his caliber.

Most of his attacking teammates should also return as they are younger, with the exception of Ousmane Dembélé, who is older than Mbappé. France continue to produce talented players at every position, with the biggest question perhaps being who will succeed Didier Deschamps as manager.

The exact opposite is true for some of the other players, with the main name who is unlikely to be present being N’Golo Kanté, who will be 39 years old by then and therefore unlikely to earn another call-up despite how important he has been for the team. Adrien Rabiot, Lucas Digne, Lucas Hernández and Brice Samba are also among the least likely players to return.

Current team’s age in 2030