Zidane Unveils New France Squad: A Generational Reset
Zinedine Zidane walked into FFF headquarters in Paris and made one thing unmistakably clear: the Deschamps years are over, and a new France is being built in his image.
The former Real Madrid coach unveiled his first 23-man squad, a deliberately tight group that underlined a generational reset. Five players received their first senior call-up: Liverpool centre-back Jeremy Jacquet, Inter Milan midfielder Andy Diouf, Como’s Lucas Da Cunha, goalkeeper Guillaume Restes, and Esteban Lepaul.
They will report to Clairefontaine on Monday, stepping straight into the heart of Zidane’s project.
A smaller squad, bigger responsibility
Zidane has opted for a compact list rather than the bloated groups often seen in international windows. He wants every player involved, every training session sharp, every place earned.
He spelled it out in front of the media: this is about form, potential, and a style of football he believes can define the next cycle for Les Bleus. The new coach spoke with conviction about his choices, drawing a clear line between loyalty to the past and investment in the future.
“The game” is what drives him, he insisted. Not reputations.
“I want to see these players and this team playing,” he said. “They are players who deserve to be here, players I want to see. I like Jacquet’s profile a lot. I’ve followed him for a long time because he played alongside my son in the youth teams.”
That familiarity with Jacquet is no coincidence. Zidane is betting on players he knows, trusts, and believes can execute an attractive, proactive style from the back.
Big names left behind
The shift comes with casualties. World Cup winners N’Golo Kante and Karim Benzema are out. Not because Zidane doubts their quality, but because he is looking ahead.
“N’Golo is 35 and I have made choices, which are different,” he explained. “I adore Karim, but he’s a certain age. I need to see younger players and what we will do together.”
No sentiment, just a cold, strategic reset. The message to the dressing room is blunt: nobody is untouchable, and the door now opens wider for those who can match the physical and tactical intensity Zidane demands.
Versatility at the core
Across the pitch, Zidane has prioritised flexibility. He highlighted the importance of players who can cover multiple roles, especially in central midfield and at full-back.
Adrien Truffert returns, paired with Diouf as a key component of France’s width and balance. “Choosing Andy Diouf and Truffert is a strong choice,” Zidane said. “They are capable of playing in this position.”
It’s a clue to his blueprint: dynamic full-backs, midfielders who can both protect and create, defenders comfortable on the ball. This is not a cautious transition. It’s a full tactical imprint from day one.
A brutal first test
There is no soft launch for this new-look France. Zidane’s reign begins with four matches in ten days, a schedule that will test both his ideas and his players’ resilience.
Les Bleus travel to Izmir to face Turkey on Friday, September 25. Then comes a trip to Brussels to meet Belgium on September 28. The window closes with two heavyweight fixtures at home in Saint-Denis: Italy on October 2, and Belgium again on October 5.
Every game is a measuring stick. Every mistake, every spark of brilliance, will feed into Zidane’s long-term plan.
Mbappe stays, the hierarchy shifts
One thing does not change: Kylian Mbappe remains captain. The armband stays with the forward who has become the face of French football, now tasked with leading a younger, reshaped squad through a demanding start under a legendary coach.
Around him, though, the landscape looks different. New names, new energy, a new voice on the touchline.
Zidane has drawn his first lines. The real question now is how quickly this new France can turn his vision into something opponents fear.
