Zinédine Zidane Names First France Squad: Kylian Mbappé Confirmed as Captain, 5 New Faces Included

Zidane Unveils Five Uncapped Additions and Clarifies Selection Philosophy

The newly named squad features five players stepping up to the senior Équipe de France for the first time: Estéban Lepaul, Andy Diouf, Jérémy Jacquet, Lucas Da Cunha, and Guillaume Restes, as detailed by TF1 INFO. Zidane addressed his roster choices directly during Friday’s press conference, explaining that omissions among World Cup participants—including Maghnes Akliouche and Malo Gusto—stemmed from a desire to maintain an active squad dynamic. “I didn’t want to accumulate players just to put them in the stands,” Zidane said, as reported by TF1 INFO. “They are selectable, maybe they will be for the next gathering. But I don’t like seeing players in the stands during matches. They haven’t moved down in the hierarchy; they remain selectable in the near future.”

Kylian Mbappé Confirmed as Captain and Assessed Across Tactical Positions

Kylian Mbappé retains the captaincy under the new coaching staff. When questioned about Mbappé’s ideal tactical role on the pitch, Zidane noted that the star attacker “is capable of playing in all three positions,” adding via TF1 INFO, “I don’t know if number 9 is his best position. I like him a lot on the left.” Addressing ongoing debates regarding defensive contributions from his captain, Zidane dismissed the discourse as a “false debate,” stating that Mbappé must be managed like any other squad member. “When we don’t have the ball, we are going to have to make efforts, and that won’t be a problem for Kylian,” Zidane said, according to TF1 INFO.

Roster Management: Injuries, Age Profiles, and Goalkeeping Structure

The squad announcement also shed light on notable absences across the midfield and forward lines. Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni misses out due to injury, with Zidane explaining that keeping the player in Madrid serves his recovery process best. Meanwhile, veteran midfielder N’Golo Kanté was omitted in a deliberate tactical shift. “It’s a choice,” Zidane confirmed to TF1 INFO regarding the 35-year-old midfielder. “That has nothing to do with his extraordinary qualities. Bravo for what he has done and what he is. He is 35 years old, and I have four years, I hope, at the head of this team. I make different choices.”

Regarding Karim Benzema, Zidane expressed admiration for his former Real Madrid player but maintained a forward-looking stance on age demographics within the national setup. “I spent a lot of extraordinary years with Karim Benzema in Madrid,” Zidane said, per TF1 INFO. “I adore him, but he has a certain age. I am admiring of his career, but today, I need to see younger players.” In goal, Toulouse product Guillaume Restes joins Mike Maignan and Robin Risser in a three-man goalkeeping selection, with former international goalkeeper Fabien Barthez overseeing the group. Zidane called the appointment an “extraordinary experience” backed by full confidence.

Next Steps for Les Bleus

The selected 23 players are scheduled to report to the National Football Centre at Clairefontaine on Monday, September 21, 2026, to commence preparations under Zidane’s coaching staff.