Zidane adds five newcomers to Les Bleus for Nations League matches
Zinedine Zidane, as the new head coach of Les Bleus, has announced a 23‑man squad, in which five players receive their first call‑up, including goalkeeper Guillaume Restes and defender Andy Diouf, for the upcoming Nations League matches against Turkey, Italy and Belgium on 25 September in Turkey and on 2 October against France.
Zidane opted for a compact squad of 23 players, a number lower than that of many other nations. Apart from the five newcomers, the structure remains largely unchanged, with familiar names that have held a regular place for years.
Five newcomers in the squad
The first call‑up goes to goalkeeper Guillaume Restes, who comes from Toulouse. In defence we have Andy Diouf from Inter Milan and Jérémy Jacquet from Liverpool. Midfielder Lucas Da Cunha, playing for Como, also makes his debut, as does striker Estéban Lepaul from Rennes.
The rest of the squad contains big stars. Kylian Mbappé, who plays for Real Madrid, and Ousmane Dembélé of PSG are in attack. Also Rayan Cherki (Manchester City), Désiré Doué (PSG) and Bradley Barcola (Liverpool) retain their places.
Nations League‑schedule and look back at World Cup
France start the Nations League on 25 September in Turkey, followed by an away match against Belgium. On 2 October the team plays against France, and three days later the home fixture with the Red Devils is on the agenda. The World Cup ended disappointingly for Les Bleus, with a 0‑2 defeat to Spain in the semi‑final and a 4‑6 loss to England in the bronze‑match.
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Goalkeepers in the squad are Mike Maignan of AC Milan, Guillaume Restes of Toulouse and Robin Risser of Lens. All three have extensive experience in top leagues.
The defenders include Pierre Kalulu (Juventus), Ibrahima Konaté (Real Madrid), Jules Koundé (Barcelona), Maxence Lacroix (Chelsea), Adrien Truffert (Bournemouth) and Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich) alongside the two newcomers.
In midfield are Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), Rayan Cherki (Manchester City), Lucas Da Cunha (Como), Manu Koné (AS Roma), Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan) and Warren Zaïre‑Emery (PSG).
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The forwards are Bradley Barcola (Liverpool), Ousmane Dembélé (PSG), Désiré Doué (PSG), Estéban Lepaul (Rennes), Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid) and Michael Olise (Bayern Munich).