Zidane bets on new Blues, the decision that divides France
In the training room of the Parc des Princes, the lights flash while Zinedine Zidane, new manager of the French national team, unveils his first squad. He opens the squad to many newcomers, marking the start of a different era.
Unexpected debuts for six youngsters
Andy Diouf, Jérémy Jacquet, Lucas Da Cunha, Lenny Yoro, Esteban Lepaul and Guillaume Restes are thus called up for the first four matches of the Zidane era. Each of them will experience his first call‑up with the Bleus, a rare opportunity at only thirty years old for some.
A revamp of the left‑back position
In the left‑back position, where Lucas Digne and Theo Hernandez shared responsibilities during the last World Cup, the new manager preferred to innovate. He selects Adrien Truffert and Andy Diouf, leaving the regulars aside.
Matthieu Udol, a frustration expressed to L’Équipe
Matthieu Udol, who had received a preliminary call‑up, thought he would see the door of the Bleus open at thirty for the September and October matches against Turkey, Belgium and Italy. The announcement of his omission came three hours before the match against Monaco on 18 September. “It came three hours before, I had this potential to be selected, it wasn’t an easy day emotionally,” he told L’Équipe. “An extra motivation,” he continued, adding that the disappointment drove him to unleash all his rage on his goal. “I had a lot of rage inside me, but I was disappointed, plain and simple. There is a next break soon, we have a run of very high‑level matches until then, it’s up to me to perform to keep knocking on the door.”
Far from resigning, the former Messin wants to turn this bitterness into a source of motivation. He recalls that his status has evolved with the Champions League and that “it has become a goal, but I have no pressure because I am aware of where I come from.” He adds that, at thirty, opportunities become rarer, but his versatility can help him find a place, whether in a back four or on the left flank.