World Cup 2018: 5 players who can be France's 4th choice centre-back

#1 Lucas Hernández (Atletico Madrid)

The brilliant left-footer will add a different dimension to the French defence

One of the most impressive players in La Liga this season in a defensive sense, Hernández will fancy his chances of being at the Mundial irrespective of the position earmarked for him by the manager.

Composed on the ball, good in the air and possessing a finely honed sense for tackling, the versatile player is a favourite of Atleti manager Diego Simeone and has been in-and-around the squad for a couple of seasons before fully coming into his own this season.

Possessing all the characteristics of the great modern defender -- ball playing ability, aerial presence, keen intelligence and an ability to play as a left-back when demanded, he is also capable of bringing the ball out of the defence and while he isn't the tallest centre-back in the world (1.83 m), he is quite adept at aerial duels and more often than not is the go-to guy for marking deadly opposition players in the 18-yard box.

He has been great for the Europa League finalists, replacing a currently recuperating Filipe Luis as the team's left back, averaging an 83.1% passing accuracy this season.

His versatility means he could make the final 23 as a left-back given the fitness concerns around Manchester City's Benjamin Mendy and the poor form of FC Barcelona's Lucas Digne and PSG's Layvin Kurzawa.

His brilliant shielding of the ball would be great for the French team as he could perfectly complement Varane's athleticism and pace if picked. He has played for France at all levels from U-16 to U-21 and made his senior debut in the recent friendly against Colombia.