Zidane Reveals First France Squad: 5 New Faces, Mbappé Captain, and Major Absentees

A New Era Begins at Clairefontaine

Zidane’s initial selection blends established World Cup participants with fresh faces across every position group. Out of the 23 players called up, 13 featured in the North American tournament. Meanwhile, five players will experience their first senior international gathering with the national team.

Five New Faces Earn Their First Senior Call-Ups

The squad sheet includes five newcomers looking to secure a permanent place in the French setup.

The complete 23-man squad announced by Zidane features:

• Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Guillaume Restes (Toulouse FC), Robin Risser (RC Lens)
• Defenders: Backline options include Pierre Kalulu (Juventus Turin), Jules Koundé (FC Barcelone), Ibrahima Konaté (Real Madrid), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich), Maxence Lacroix (Chelsea FC), Adrien Truffert (AFC Bournemouth), Jérémy Jacquet (Liverpool FC), and Andy Diouf (Inter Milan)
• Midfielders: Midfield selections consist of Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), Rayan Cherki (Manchester City), Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan), Manu Koné (AS Rome), Warren Zaïre-Emery (Paris SG), and Lucas Da Cunha (Como 1907)
• Attendants: Bradley Barcola (Liverpool FC), Ousmane Dembélé (Paris SG), Désiré Doué (PSG), Estéban Lepaul (Stade Rennais), Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)

Notable Absences and Staff Changes

The transition under Zidane has also led to immediate exclusions for several prominent figures from the Deschamps era. According to reports from RTL, players such as Aurélien Tchouaméni, N’Golo Kanté, Marcus Thuram, Lucas Digne, and the Hernandez brothers were omitted from the initial 23-man group.

Concurrently, Zidane has installed a fresh backroom staff. Notably, 1998 World Cup champion Fabien Barthez joins the setup as goalkeeping coach. Zidane’s contract runs through the 2030 FIFA World Cup, with an immediate focus on qualifying for UEFA Euro 2028 in the British Isles, though qualification fixtures do not begin until next year.

Intense Nations League Schedule Ahead

Les Bleus face a demanding UEFA Nations League schedule consisting of four matches in an 11-day span. The campaign begins away against Turkey on Friday, September 25, at 20:45 local time, followed by an away fixture against Belgium on Monday, September 28, at 20:45 local time. Zidane’s side will then return home to host Italy at the Stade de France on Friday, October 2, at 20:45 local time, before welcoming Belgium for the return fixture on Monday, October 5, at 20:45 local time.