France made it out of the group stage in last year’s tournament, and coming into this year, Thibault Tricole has taken his game up a level — but will that be enough?

Players: Thibault Tricole / Jacques Lebre
Ranking: 20

After an impressive 4–1 win in the opening match against Latvia in last year’s tournament — where France averaged over 90 — the French duo struggled to maintain that level. They fell short in the final group stage match against Denmark and were outclassed in the round of 16 by England, losing 8–3.

This year, France has dropped further down the rankings, meaning they’ll enter the tournament as unseeded. With that in mind, it’s hard to see France making a deep run this weekend. Still, Thibault Tricole is a player with genuine talent and can throw excellent darts. However, it’s difficult to imagine them progressing beyond a potential round of 16 clash.

One advantage for France is the continuity of their lineup — the team remains unchanged from last year, with Jacques Lebre once again partnering Tricole.