Zidane’s First France Squad Blends Stars and New Talent
Zinedine Zidane has put his stamp on France. Quickly.
After taking over from Didier Deschamps in the summer, the new head coach unveiled his first 23-man squad for the upcoming international break, shaping the group that will launch the 2026-2027 Nations League campaign.
It’s not a revolution. But it’s unmistakably his.
Mbappé Leads a Star-Studded Core
Fifteen players from the recent World Cup make the cut, a clear signal that Zidane wants continuity at the heart of his project. The armband stays with Kylian Mbappé, the undisputed leader of this team and the figurehead of the new era.
Around him, there is no shortage of glamour. Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele is in, as is Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise, giving France a devastating attacking edge as they prepare for life in League A, where they will face Türkiye, Belgium, and Italy.
The message is obvious: France are not easing into this campaign. They are going after it.
Five New Faces Announce a Fresh Cycle
Behind that familiar core, Zidane has gone digging into France’s seemingly endless talent pool and pulled out five uncapped players, each selection hinting at the profile he wants for the next cycle leading up to Euro 2028.
At the back, Liverpool defender Jeremy Jacquet earns a first senior call-up, taking advantage of William Saliba’s absence. The reshaping of the defence doesn’t stop there. Toulouse goalkeeper Guillaume Restes joins the group, as does Inter Milan full-back Andy Diouf, giving Zidane new options in two key areas of the pitch.
Midfield gets its own injection of invention. Como playmaker Lucas Da Cunha has been rewarded with a place after catching the eye with his creativity and control.
Up front, the door opens for Esteban Lepaul. The Rennes forward, who finished last season as Ligue 1’s top scorer, forces his way into the squad on pure form. His inclusion underlines a simple rule: perform, and you’re in.
These five newcomers don’t just pad out a list. They signal intent. Zidane is not waiting to refresh this squad; he’s starting now.
Big Calls: Kante and Other Veterans Left Out
New blood means big casualties.
N'Golo Kante is among the headline omissions, a symbolic break with one of the defining figures of France’s recent golden period. Lucas Hernandez and Lucas Digne are also left out, names that have long been fixtures around the national team setup.
The choices are stark. Zidane is trimming away some of the old guard to clear space for a new tactical structure and a different balance. With Arsenal centre-back William Saliba missing, the back line undergoes a noticeable reshuffle, testing France’s depth in real time.
France have options in every line, but leaving out such experienced campaigners is not a neutral act. It’s a statement that Zidane is ready to make hard decisions now, not after a transition period.
A New Era Starts in Türkiye
The talking stops next Friday.
France travel to Kocaeli to face Türkiye in what will be the first true glimpse of Zidane’s ideas on the touchline with the national team. That opener is followed by a trip to Brussels to take on Belgium on September 28, a fixture that rarely feels like anything less than a measuring stick for where France stand.
Then comes home soil and the first taste of the new-look side at the Stade de France: Italy arrive on October 2, before a second clash with Belgium on October 5.
By the end of that run, the picture will be clearer. Is this just a gentle evolution of Deschamps’ France, or the beginning of something very different under Zidane?
