Zidane puts Da Cunha in the centre, his club drops him to the wing

Zinédine Zidane surprised by placing Lucas Da Cunha in front of the defence during his early appearances with the French side. Since his return to Italy, the Como club uses him much higher up and near the touchline.

The squad’s adjustments

The manager saw in the Como player a profile capable of bringing different qualities to the French national team. Da Cunha was moved to the right side. With the French side, he had been started as a sentinel against Belgium then Italy. Cesc Fabregas then repositioned him among the three attacking midfielders of his 4-2-3-1. The Frenchman played once as a number 10 and four times on the flank, mainly to cover the absences of Assane Diao, Jayden Addai and Jesus Rodriguez. This is not a repudiation of Zidane’s choice. Da Cunha had been trained in an out‑wide role at Nice before being converted to a central position by Fabregas.

“Right now, the coach needs me to play in this position and I’m happy to do it,” explains Lucas Da Cunha.

Como’s sporting director, Carlalberto Ludi, believes his versatility has become especially valuable. Two different visions can serve the French side. Zidane values his ability to organise, direct and provide technique in front of the defence. Fabregas currently exploits his runs, his shooting quality and his effectiveness in attacking zones. Da Cunha has taken responsibility for penalties and boasts a perfect record over his last five attempts. Rather than a deep disagreement, these uses reveal a player capable of occupying almost every midfield position. The question remains whether his shift away from the centre at club level will alter Zidane’s plans for the upcoming gatherings.