Thierry Henry picks player who will surprise everyone at World Cup – ‘There’s a guy people don’t know about...’

Former France international Thierry Henry has backed a little-known French midfielder to perform well after being named in Didier Deschamps’ 2026 World Cup squad.

Earlier this week, Deschamps, who guided Les Bleus to the 2018 World Cup, named his 26-player squad for the upcoming tournament.

And while star names such as Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé and Kylian Mbappé were included, there were several notable absences.

Paris Saint-Germain forward, currently on loan at Spurs, Randal Kolo Muani was omitted, alongside Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga and PSG shot-stopper Lucas Chevalier.

Despite impressive seasons in the Premier League, the Bournemouth duo Adrien Truffert and Eli Junior Kroupi were also left out, but Henry believes a little-known AS Roma midfielder could prove useful to the two-time World Cup winners this summer.

Henry backs 12-cap France star

Speaking to SPORTbible, Henry, who earned 123 appearances for France between 1997 and 2010, backed Manu Koné to be a huge help to the side if he’s allowed to play after being named in the squad.

Henry said: “I’m not saying that he’s going to have a brilliant World Cup or not have a brilliant World Cup. I don’t know, but there’s a guy that people don’t know much about, and he plays for Roma. I had him at the Olympics.

“It’s Manu Koné. He is, for me right now, one of the best holding midfielders out there. He’s going about his life in a quiet way.

“He was at Mönchengladbach. He signed for Roma. Now he’s a starter for France because, obviously, Didier Deschamps believes he can play for France.

“And since then, he’s been brilliant. I don’t think that’s a name people often mention, and he’s a starter for France. In that team, you’re going to have to be good.

“So I don’t know if he’s going to play at the World Cup, but so far, he’s a guy I would say people in that team do not mention a lot, because you will mention Dembélé, you will mention Désiré Doué, you will mention Barcola, you will mention Saliba, and you will mention Konaté.

“And people do not mention him. I do think he’s a very, very, very, very solid player.”

Manu Kone has earned praise from Thierry Henry (Credit:Getty)

Henry coached Koné during his time managing the French Olympic team that won the silver medal at the Paris Games.

Since then, the 24-year-old, who came through the ranks at Toulouse before joining Borussia Mönchengladbach, has been a fixture in Roma’s side, featuring 36 times for the Italians this term, while also earning 12 caps for his country.

The former Arsenal man then compared Koné’s style to that of Liverpool cult hero Dirk Kuyt.

“He’s always helping the team,” he continued. “He’s just the type of guy that fans will appreciate — a real crowd favourite, if you know what I mean.

“For example, I remember Liverpool fans loving Dirk Kuyt at one point. He wasn’t the typical star player, but it was what he gave to the team that made people love him. And Manu is that type of guy. He’s a player you’re going to love because he gives 100% all the time.”

Henry picks World Cup dark horses

Henry then looked ahead to the rest of the World Cup nations, tipping three dark horses to perform well in the tournament.

After crediting both Senegal and Morocco for their performances at the Africa Cup of Nations, Henry said: “Don’t sleep on Norway,” with the Scandinavian nation reaching their first finals since 1998.

“If everything clicks and they play the same way with Sørloth and Haaland, they can do well. They qualified easily, winning their group and winning at home and away against Italy.

“I just do think those two teams — Senegal and Norway — with Morocco [can go far]. [They] now have expectations after the last World Cup.

Of course, Morocco reached the semifinals in Qatar before eventually losing to France.

France’s first World Cup game is scheduled to take place against Senegal in New Jersey on June 16.

France’s 26-man World Cup squad

Goalkeepers:

• Mike Maignan (AC Milan)
• Robin Risser (Lens)
• Brice Samba (Rennes)

Defenders:

• Lucas Digne (Aston Villa)
• Malo Gusto (Chelsea)
• Lucas Hernandez (PSG)
• Theo Hernandez (Al-Hilal)
• Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool)
• Jules Koundé (Barcelona)
• Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace)
• William Saliba (Arsenal)
• Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)

Midfielders:

• N'Golo Kanté (Fenerbahçe)
• Manu Koné (AS Roma)
• Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan)
• Aurélien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid)
• Warren Zaïre-Emery (PSG)

Forwards:

• Maghnes Akliouche (Monaco)
• Bradley Barcola (PSG)
• Rayan Cherki (Manchester City)
• Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)
• Désiré Doué (PSG)
• Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace)
• Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid)
• Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)
• Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan)

Henry was speaking to SPORTbible in association with the “No Lay’s, No Game” campaign, which will see icons Alexia Putellas, Lionel Messi, David Beckham, Steve Carell and the Arsenal legend chat to fans in a legendary WhatsApp group chat. Supporters can join the chat and see exactly what the five personalities get up to, with access to voice notes, memes, genuine debate and even some hilarious banter.

Fans can also tune in to the epic watch party chat until the end of the FIFA World Cup at nolaysnogame.com/epicwatchparty.

Lays will also be crowning a Fan of the Match in all 104 matches, with winners awarded pitch-side access, premium match tickets, halftime stadium recognition on the jumbotron, and a custom Lay's Fan of the Match trophy. Fans globally can enter to be the Fan of the Match at nolaysnogame.com/FOTM.