France are full of high-profile superstars, but Manu Kone will have an integral part to play if they are to win their third World Cup this summer.The Roma midfielder has firmly established himself in the national team over the last couple of years and will be one of the first names on Didier Deschamps’ team sheet in North America.The 25-year-old made his debut for France less than two years agoGettyKone heads to his first major tournament having helped Roma to third place in Serie A this season, the club’s best finish since 2018, and he could be about to make a big mark on the biggest stage of all.Kone ‘nailed on’ to startAsked by talkSPORT.com whether Kone, 25, would be a like-for-like replacement for 2022 World Cup runner-up Eduardo Camavinga – who has not been named in the French squad – European football expert Andy Brassell replied emphatically: “Camavinga not being picked has got nothing to do with Manu Kone.“Because if Camavinga had had the season of his life – which obviously he’s had the worst season of his life, certainly since he’s been at Real Madrid – Manu Kone would still be nailed on for the XI if everyone’s fit.“He has been a player who has been almost transformative for France really since he got his full debut.”Kone has caught the eye in the midfield destroyer role, impressing with his outstanding ball-recovery and carrying attributes.Having started out at Toulouse, Kone moved on to Bundesliga outfit Borussia Monchengladbach in 2021 then joined Roma on loan in 2024 – before making the deal permanent last year.He earned his first senior international cap in September 2024 and he hasn’t looked back since, emerging as a key cog in the France machine.“He’s been absolutely brilliant,” Brassell continued. “He’s the guy you can rely on for everything. “He’ll run all day, he can help in the construction of the game, he can break it up at the other end and he never asks for a break.“Kone has been absolutely unbelievable for [Roma] and absolutely unbelievable for France.”Mbappe has 56 goals for France, but he may not be Les Bleus’ sole difference-makerGettyBrassell also highlighted Michael Olise, who has just enjoyed a superb season with Bayern Munich, as another player who will lend Les Bleus a different dimension at this summer’s tournament.“Olise is someone is someone who can unlock doors – we know that,” he added. “But in terms of the energy, the athleticism, the smarts that Manu Kone gives that midfield, I mean, he’s enormously underrated.“He’s so, so good. I can think of pretty much almost any other French midfielder – I’d rather leave [Adrien] Rabiot at home than him. Despite the fact that Rabiot has been there and done it and has been in very good form in recent years, Kone is brilliant.”France aiming to join exclusive clubFrance are in an intriguing Group I of the World Cup alongside Senegal – their opening opponents on June 16 – Iraq and Norway.Winners for the second time in 2018 and runners-up to Argentina last time around, they could become only the third country to make three successive World Cup finals – after West Germany (1982, 1986, 1990) and Brazil (1994, 1998, 2002).France will be captained this summer by Kylian Mbappe, the 2022 World Cup Golden Boot winner having taken the armband from World Cup-winning skipper Hugo Lloris three years ago.World Cup WhatsAppDon't miss an update from talkSPORT in our dedicated World Cup WhatsApp channel.Search for ‘talkSPORT World Cup’ in your ‘Updates’ tab on WhatsApp and we’ll drop the proper, unfiltered football chat straight to your lock screen—no fluff, just pure talkSPORT energy.It’s where you’ll find out all the new rules to watch out for, England and Scotland reaction and big match player ratings. Plus there will be loads of debates on the biggest talking points as Haaland, Mbappe, Kane and the biggest names in football descend on America, Canada and Mexico.