Zidane elevates Dembélé to vice‑captain, Mbappé remains in charge of France

Zinedine Zidane, the new head coach of France, confirmed Kylian Mbappé as captain and appointed Ousmane Dembélé, forward of Paris Saint‑Germain, as first vice‑captain, ahead of Adrien Rabiot and Jules Koundé. The decision was announced by L’Équipe during the international break.

New vice‑captain: Dembélé

Dembélé, the latest Ballon d’Or winner and teammate of Mbappé at Paris Saint‑Germain, was chosen as the first option in case of the Real Madrid forward’s absence. With the Bleus he has scored thirteen goals in sixty‑seven appearances.

Adrien Rabiot, Milan midfielder, has sixty‑seven caps for the national team and has scored seven goals. His experience places him second in the new vice‑captain ranking.

Jules Koundé, Barcelona defender, has reached fifty‑six caps for France. He had already been included among the vice‑captains by Didier Deschamps, ensuring continuity in Zidane’s selection.

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Nations League schedule

Koundé’s confirmation represents continuity with the previous management, as the defender had already served as vice‑captain under Deschamps. Zidane’s decision is based on the players’ international experience and seniority.

Outside the quartet remain Mike Maignan, Ibrahima Konaté and Dayot Upamecano, who will not have a formal role in the captaincy succession. Their exclusion was specified by L’Équipe.

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The Bleus are now preparing for the upcoming Nations League fixtures: they face Turkey on Friday, Belgium on September 28, Italy on October 2 and Turkey again on October 5. These will be the first opportunities to see the new hierarchies established by Zidane in action.