Zinedine Zidane Unveils First France Squad: Surprise Call-ups and New Era for Les Bleus

According to reports from French media outlet CNews, the roster blends the established core built by Didier Deschamps with five prominent new call-ups, including Rennes forward Estéban Lepaul and Liverpool defender Jérémy Jacquet.

The squad announcement sets the stage for a busy two-week training camp at Clairefontaine.

New Faces and Fresh Energy in the Squad

Zidane injected fresh talent into the national setup by naming five players who are discovering the senior French national team for the very first time. Alongside Estéban Lepaul and Jérémy Jacquet, the new arrivals feature Como attacking midfielder Lucas Da Cunha, Toulouse goalkeeper Guillaume Restes, and Inter Milan defender Andy Diouf, as reported by CNews.

The inclusion of Guillaume Restes coincides with notable changes in the goalkeeping department. CNews noted that Toulouse’s young shot-stopper pushed out Lens goalkeeper Brice Samba, who missed out on the selection entirely. Mike Maignan and Robin Risser complete the three-man goalkeeping union named by the coaching staff.

Captaincy Confirmed Amid High-Profile Absences

Despite significant turnover in certain areas of the pitch, Zidane confirmed that Kylian Mbappé will retain his role as captain of Les Bleus. Mbappé anchors an attacking unit that also features Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, Estéban Lepaul, and Michael Olise, per the CNews roster release.

However, the initial squad sheet highlights several high-profile omissions. CNews reported that Aurélien Tchouaméni was left out because he has “not played much at the start of this season.” Other notable absentees include N’Golo Kanté, Marcus Thuram, brothers Lucas and Théo Hernandez, Paris Saint-Germain players Lucas Digne and Maghnes Akliouche, and Jean-Philippe Mateta. William Saliba was also excluded due to injury.

Midfield Adjustments and Defensive Recalls

The midfield and defensive units see a mix of returning experience and domestic form rewards. CNews highlighted the return of Eduardo Camavinga, who has experienced a loss of momentum at Real Madrid but remains a familiar face in the national setup. He is joined in the midfield by Rayan Cherki, Lucas Da Cunha, Manu Koné, Adrien Rabiot, and Warren Zaïre-Emery.

In defense, strong early-season club form opened the door for recalls. Adrien Truffert—who holds one prior cap—and Pierre Kalulu—who has three caps—both returned to the fold alongside established names like Ibrahima Konaté, Jules Koundé, Maxence Lacroix, and Dayot Upamecano, according to CNews.