France coach Didier Deschamps has praised star striker Karim Benzema, saying his team are better when the Real Madrid man is playing.
Benzema, who was linked with a move to Arsenal over the summer, is set to start up front alongside Lyon striker Nabil Fekir in Friday's friendly against Portugal.
"The presence of Karim is very important," Deschamps told a news conference. "He's a top-level player who has international experience.
"He's not going to resolve everything by himself, but Karim is Karim and I prefer having him with us.
"It's like with Portugal. If [Cristiano] Ronaldo isn't there, it's not the same thing. In order to be efficient, France will always need Karim to be on top of his game."
With 22-year-old Fekir set to make his first France start, Deschamps said he was a player of "promising potential."
Ligue 1's Young Player of the Year last season began this campaign in style with a hat trick against Caen last weekend.
He scored his first goal for France in the 4-3 loss to Belgium in June -- a third defeat in four games for the Euro 2016 hosts.
Deschamps, France captain as they lifted the 1998 World Cup, said: "He has individual qualities, and when he's in the penalty area he's able to get by his man even when he's being marked closely.
"He has great ability to follow up a dribble with a shot, and when he gets the ball something often happens.
"But we're talking about international level and he'll need time, like Antoine Griezmann and Anthony Martial. But they're young players of very promising potential."
The coach ruled out using Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba further up the pitch in behind two front men.
"He'll never be a playmaker," he said. "It's not his game, and because of his physical make-up to find himself with his back to goal is not good for him or the team."