Zinedine Zidane could reinvent the role of the number 9 in France
During Friday's press conference, the new manager of France, Zinedine Zidane, presented his first squad, retaining only Kylian Mbappé and Estéban Lepaul as true centre‑forwards. He hinted that he could reorganise the French team's attacking system.
The offensive void after Giroud
Since Olivier Giroud's retirement, France have struggled to identify an established number 9 behind Mbappé. Under Didier Deschamps, several “jokers” – Randal Kolo Muani, Marcus Thuram, Jean‑Philippe Mateta and Christopher Nkunku – were tried without success. Zidane therefore inherits an urgent need for renewal.
The new squad includes six newcomers, a sign of a desire for renewal. According to RMC, Zidane is said to have spoken with Mbappé a few days before the list was released, mentioning the possibility of putting him on the left. Such a move would free the central axis for another centre‑forward.
The options considered by Zidane
Among the alternatives, PSG's Ousmane Dembélé could slip into the central role. Trained in that position for nearly two years under Luis Enrique, he has a good rapport with Mbappé, but he hasn't found the net in nine matches and his momentum seems to be stalling. Michael Olise, described as an advanced playmaker, could also be deployed, although that might erode his effectiveness as a number 10.
During his time at Real Madrid, Zidane did not hesitate to field two creators – Luka Modrić and Isco – and he could replicate that setup with Adrien Rabiot as the sole sentinel. The most concrete option remains Estéban Lepaul, the top scorer in Ligue 1 last season with twenty‑one goals and three assists in five matches since the start of the campaign. The young centre‑forward of Stade Rennais could thus take the place freed up by Mbappé.
During the same conference, Lepaul said: “I want to be a player in this squad and in what will happen next. The only desire I will have is to keep tasting it over and over. My goal is to get playing time, to contribute what I can, and if there’s a first goal that’s fine with me.” He added: “I like to take part in the game, I love scoring goals so what better than being surrounded by players like Désiré, Ousmane, Kylian, Michael? It will allow me to try more things. A successful striker’s match is one who creates a lot of space, repeats the effort on the press and creates mismatches.”
In summary, Zidane’s statement – “For me, for example, I like him a lot on the left” – hints at a possible reorganisation of France’s attacking front, where the chemistry among the forwards could take precedence over the traditional hierarchy. The upcoming training sessions will reveal whether France will actually adopt this new setup.