Marseille regrets its failure while Da Cunha shines for France

In the dressing room of the King Baudouin Stadium, Lucas Da Cunha, 25, was wearing the France national team jersey for the first time and, from the kickoff against Belgium, he imposed a sentinel presence that earned the congratulations of Zinédine Zidane after the 1‑0 victory.

A dream long delayed

Da Cunha waited 25 years to know the France national team, but he quickly made an impression. Starting for the first time on Monday against Belgium, he touched 97 balls, recovered six possessions and won four duels, showing a simplicity in his use of the ball that delighted the coach.

After the match, the captain of the Italian club said: “The coach asked me to play as I do at club, to free myself. That’s what I tried to do and I felt good sensations.” He added that receiving a first call‑up was “a great emotion”, recalling that he had been playing in Serie B with Como a few years ago.

Zidane replaces Cherki, starts Da Cunha, Bleus excluded after Belgium

Marseille, the regret of a missed opportunity

Marseille had been following Da Cunha for several years and had tried to recruit him last winter, with an offer estimated at around €20 million. The deal ultimately fell through, the player remaining at Como where he developed under the guidance of Cesc Fàbregas and became captain.

Since the start of the season, Marseille has struggled in midfield, the injuries of Geoffrey Kondogbia and Tochukwu Nnadi limiting the options of Bruno Genesio. Although Da Cunha cannot single‑handedly solve all the problems, seeing a targeted profile a few months earlier succeed in his debut for the France national team naturally fuels some regrets among the Marseille executives.

Cunha surprises France: from Como's captain to victory over Belgium

The profile of a deep‑lying creative midfielder of Da Cunha had already been identified as one of the most interesting on the first list of the coach, and Zidane expressed satisfaction with his performance, noting that the player could have been useful to Marseille.