Zidane calls up a right-back from the German second division
Saël Kumbedi, 21, defender of Wolfsburg in the German second division, has been called up by the France national team, surprising many observers. This decision reflects the very limited pool of right backs available to Zinedine Zidane. The coach had to compensate for the unavailability of Pierre Kalulu.
But why did Zidane look to the German second division to fill the vacancy? Many analysts are questioning the choice of Kumbedi.
Kumbedi has already played with the Espoirs, which facilitates his integration into the France teams' setup. Beyond the practical aspect, the former OL player regards him as one of the few specialists in the position in France.
Ranking and market value
The pool of French full‑backs remains very limited. Ranked fourth among French right backs, Kumbedi is valued at €12 million according to Transfermarkt. The Top 10 specialists shows that options are not abundant at the international level.
Nordi Mukiele, 29, no longer represents the future for Zidane and is currently at Sunderland, a club in difficulty. Likewise, Ruben Aguilar, 33, and Jonathan Clauss, 34, are not seen as sustainable solutions.
Zidane opens France door to Ligue 2 with Kumbedi call‑up
Lorenz Assignon, a former Rennes player, plays in the Bundesliga but has only featured in six matches for Stuttgart, two of them as a starter. Kiliann Sildillia, 24, 2024 Olympic vice‑champion under Thierry Henry, is returning from injury after a mixed season at PSV Eindhoven, where he played 26 games. Sacha Boey, 26, plays for Bayern Munich, a club that bought him for €30 million in January 2024, but he has only made five appearances this season after a loan to Galatasaray.
Zidane's choice and alternatives
Zidane did not wait for the injuries of Jules Koundé and Pierre Kalulu to notice his lack of options. He turned to the youth squads, inviting Gérald Baticle to put Ismaëlo Ganiou on the right side of defence. The coach also recalled Burkina Faso, where a player responded positively to the call in September.
Warren Zaïre‑Emery, brilliant with PSG last season, is a very reliable option for this position. Editorialist Daniel Riolo said: “I put him ahead of Malo Gusto, Koundé and everyone,” stating that he is the ideal starter. However, Zidane said on Friday in a press conference that he wanted to play him in midfield, his preferred position, thus ruling out another alternative.
Kumbedi beats Zidane to earn a place in the French national team
Malo Gusto, 16 caps, departs for a training camp in Italy on Thursday at 20:45 to start as a right back. In September, he was not in Zidane’s first list, a sign of relative confidence. Since that gathering, he has only played three Premier League matches, including a start in the League Cup.